Number and size of silver-stained nucleoli (Ag-NOR clusters) in canine seminomas: correlation with histological features and tumour behaviour.
Twenty spontaneous canine seminomas were examined. A statistically significant difference (P < 0.01) was detected in both the mean silver-stained nucleolar area/cell and the mean silver-stained nucleolar number/cell between (1) two intraductal seminomas with no signs of invasion, and (2) three intraductal ones with signs of invasion and 15 diffuse-type seminomas (two of which metastasized 3 and 12 months after surgical treatment). Furthermore, the metastasizing seminomas showed a mean silver-stained nucleolar area/cell which was significantly greater than that observed in all the other seminomas examined (P < 0.01). It is concluded that quantitative studies of nucleolar changes are useful in evaluating the biological behaviour of spontaneous canine seminomas.
De Vico
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Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Naples University Federico II, Italy.
Papparella
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S
Di Guardo
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G
D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D004285:Dogs; D008297:Male; D009697:Nucleolus Organizer Region / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D018239:Seminoma / Q000556:secondary / Q000648:ultrastructure / Q000662:veterinary*; D016622:Silver Staining / Q000662:veterinary; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000648:ultrastructure / Q000662:veterinary*