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Diagnostic Pathology Nov 2019Sex cord-like elements are rarely observed in uterine lesions, but these morphological patterns could appear in a variety of uterine tumors and non-tumorous lesions. In...
BACKGROUND
Sex cord-like elements are rarely observed in uterine lesions, but these morphological patterns could appear in a variety of uterine tumors and non-tumorous lesions. In this review, we collected the literatures regarding the uterine tumorous and non-tumorous lesions containing sex cord-like elements and summarized these lesions in terms of clinicopathological, immunohistochemical, and molecular features in order to further understand these lesions and provide some new ideas for differential diagnosis.
MAIN BODY
This section provides a comprehensive overview of the clinicopathological, immunohistochemical, and molecular features of uterine lesions with sex cord-like architectures including uterine tumors resembling ovarian sex cord tumors, endometrial stromal tumors, adenomyosis, endometrial polyps, leiomyoma, epithelioid leiomyosarcoma, adenosarcoma, sertoliform endometrioid carcinoma, corded and hyalinized endometrioid carcinoma, mesonephric adenocarcinoma, and mesonephric-like adenocarcinoma. The differential diagnosis based on morphology, immunohistochemistry, and molecular alterations has also been discussed.
CONCLUSION
The sex cord-like areas in these lesions show heterogeneous but similar morphological features. Additionally, immunohistochemical staining plays a limited role in differential diagnosis. Furthermore, it is of significance for pathologists to better understand these lesions in order to avoid confusion and mistakes during pathological diagnosis, especially in a biopsy/curettage specimen.
Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Carcinoma, Endometrioid; Female; Humans; Ovarian Neoplasms; Sex Cord-Gonadal Stromal Tumors; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms; Uterine Neoplasms
PubMed: 31739799
DOI: 10.1186/s13000-019-0909-y -
Andrology Sep 2019The mechanisms by which the rete testis joins the efferent ducts, which joins the Wolffian duct during development, are not known. Mouse and chick models have been...
BACKGROUND
The mechanisms by which the rete testis joins the efferent ducts, which joins the Wolffian duct during development, are not known. Mouse and chick models have been helpful in identifying genes that are important for the development of each part, but genes have not been identified as to those that play a role in the joining of each part. Clinical implications of the failure of the male reproductive tract to form a fully functional conduit for spermatozoa are not trivial. Epididymal disjunction, the failure of the efferent ducts to join the testis, is one of several epididymal anomalies that have been observed in some boys who were cryptorchid at birth.
OBJECTIVE
A systematic review of studies focusing on the morphogenesis of the mesonephric duct and mesonephric tubules in different species, and identification of clinical issues should there be failure of these tissues to develop.
DESIGN
PubMed and GUDMAP databases, and review of books on kidney development were searched for studies reporting on the mechanisms of morphogenesis of the kidney and epididymis.
MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURE(S)
Gaps in our knowledge were identified, and hypotheses coupled with suggestions for future experiments were presented.
RESULTS
A total of 64 papers were identified as relevant, of which 53 were original research articles and 11 were book chapters and reviews covering morphogenesis and clinical issues. Investigators utilized multiple species including, human, mouse, chick, Xenopus, bovine, and sheep.
CONCLUSION
Fundamental understanding of the morphogenesis of the male reproductive tract is limited, especially the morphogenesis of the rete testis and efferent ducts. Therefore, it is not surprising that we do not understand how each part unites to form a whole. Only one mechanism of joining of one part of the tract to another was identified: the joining of the Wolffian duct to the cloaca via controlled apoptosis.
Topics: Animals; Chick Embryo; Epididymis; Humans; Male; Mesonephros; Mice; Rete Testis; Spermatozoa; Urogenital System; Wolffian Ducts; Xenopus
PubMed: 31033257
DOI: 10.1111/andr.12631