title: An immunohistochemical study of the rete ovarii and epoophoron.
abstract: A study to compare the immuno-histochemical profile of the human rete ovarii, and epoophoron, with the Fallopian tube and ovarian surface epithelium was performed with 31 antibodies and antisera. A reaction was present in the epithelial cytoplasm of the rete ovarii and epoophoron of mesonephric origin, for vimentin, GFAP, cytokeratin markers, (AE1/AE3, MNF116; Cam 5.2, 34 beta E12 and for the monospecific antibodies to cytokeratins 7 and 19), heat shock protein 27, in the cell membrane for HBME-1, EMA and in the subepithelial collagen for collagen IV. Reactions were present only in the epithelium in the rete ovarii for EGFR (one case) and CA-125 (four cases). A reaction was present in the epithelium of the epoophoron only for Ber-EP-4 and S100. There was no reaction with antibodies for desmin, neurofilament protein, cytokeratins 20 or 14, actin, calretinin, E-cadherin, C-erb-B2, or CEA (monoclonal and polyclonal reagents). The immuno-histochemical profile of the Fallopian tube was consistent with its para-mesonephric origin and that in the ovarian surface epithelium was consistent with a proposed modified mesothelial origin. This study provides an immunohistochemical profile of these structures with a large panel of commonly available antibodies and antisera, confirming and extending the findings described in previous studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Royal Liverpool University Hospital, UK.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Woolnough
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Heatley
mesh_terms: D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000032:analysis; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis*; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000737:chemistry; D005187:Fallopian Tubes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D010053:Ovary / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D000954:Antigens, Surface; D015415:Biomarkers; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins