title: Enzyme histochemical characterization of chordomas.
abstract: The differential diagnosis of chordoma includes chondrosarcoma and ependymoma. We describe four cases of chordoma characterized by enzyme histochemistry in plastic-embedded sections. All the chordomas exhibited strong 5'-nucleotidase positivity localized on the plasma membrane. None of the fetal notochord remnants, chondrosarcomas, ependymomas, or chondroid chordomas tested showed such a reaction. The lack of similarity in enzyme staining between fetal notochord and chordomas is unexpected since notochord has been traditionally regarded as the source of chordomas. This staining pattern provides a marker that can be useful in differentiating chordoma from other neoplasms which have a similar appearance by light microscopy.
mesh_terms: D015720:5'-Nucleotidase; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000201:enzymology; D002813:Chondrosarcoma / Q000473:pathology; D002817:Chordoma / Q000201:enzymology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004806:Ependymoma / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009672:Notochord / Q000201:enzymology; D009708:Nucleotidases / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D009708:Nucleotidases; D015720:5'-Nucleotidase