The histogenesis of glandular neoplasia.
Tissues in the organism may be divided according to their proliferative capacities into three categories: 1. Fast replicators (FR) e.g., epidermis; 2. Slow replicators (SR) e.g., liver and 3. Non replicators (NR) e.g., nerve cells. Evidence is presented that FR as well as SR tissues continuously proliferate exhibiting two distinct histomorphological structures; a progenitor region in which cells are formed and a functional region into which they enter. Throughout their displacement, the cells cover a typical path denominated as tissue radius. The SR tissues e.g., parotid gland, mammary gland, liver and prostate, exhibit similar ontogenies, and proceed during regeneration and neoplasia through similar stages. All are compound glands with two distinct stem cell types, one residing in the excretory duct epithelium and the second in the intercalated duct. Each stem cell gives rise to its typical neoplasm. Excretory duct originating neoplasms consist of papillomas, epidermal and adenocarcinomas, while intercalated stem cell bound neoplasms embrace the canalicular adenoma, oncocytoma acinic cell and lobular carcinomata. All tissues continuously stream along the tissue radius. Evidence is presented that even the liver cords are continuously displaced from the limiting lamina toward the terminal hepatic (or central) vein. The histological image of these tissues actually reflects an instantaneous picture of cells in a continuous flux.
D000818:Animals; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D002455:Cell Division; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000473:pathology; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D012468:Salivary Gland Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology