Desmosome-like structures between tumor cells and endothelial cells in choriocarcinoma heterotransplanted into the nude mouse: a preliminary report.
Tumor cells obtained from the metastatic focus of the lung of a 51-year-old woman with choriocarcinoma were transplanted in the subcutaneous tissue of the nude mouse and studied with an electron microscope. At the junctional zone between the tumor and the invaded cells a desmosome-like structure, between the transplanted tumor cells and endothelial cells, was observed in the nude mouse. Although this finding seems quite unusual, it may be related to the unique character of the early trophoblast.
D000818:Animals; D002822:Choriocarcinoma / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003896:Desmosomes / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D004727:Endothelium / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011247:Pregnancy; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous