Importance of interphase nucleolar organizer regions in tumor pathology.
The importance of the distribution of silver-stained nucleolar organizer regions (Ag-NORs) in interphase nuclei for diagnostic and prognostic purposes in tumor pathology has been reviewed. The available data demonstrated that interphase Ag-NOR evaluation may be of help in distinguishing malignant from hyperplastic or normal cells. On the other hand, there is increasing evidence that a relationship exists between the quantity of interphase Ag-NORs and the prognosis of malignant tumors: the greater the number of interphase Ag-NORs, the worse is the prognosis. This can be explained by the observation that the interphase Ag-NOR quantity is strictly related to the cell proliferation rate. The procedures used for the measurement of the interphase Ag-NOR quantity are also critically discussed.
Dipartimento di Patologia Sperimentale, Università di Bologna, Italy.
M
M
Derenzini
D
D
Trerè
D002455:Cell Division; D007399:Interphase; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D009697:Nucleolus Organizer Region / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D011379:Prognosis