title: Cystic tumor of the atrioventricular node of the heart appears to be the heart equivalent of the solid cell nests (ultimobranchial rests) of the thyroid.
abstract: We studied a series of 10 solid cell nests (SCNs) of the thyroid and a case of cystic tumor of the atrioventricular node (CTAVN) of the heart and reviewed the literature. The CTAVN and SCNs appeared as cystic and/or solid (squamoid) structures mainly composed of polygonal or oval cells (main cells) admixed with occasional clear cells (neuroendocrine and C cells). Main cells were immunoreactive for simple and stratified epithelial-type cytokeratins, epithelial membrane antigen, carcinoembryonic antigen, carbohydrate antigen 19.9, p63, bcl-2, and galectin-3. Neuroendocrine (and C) cells were positive for simple-type cytokeratins, carcinoembryonic antigen, calcitonin, chromogranin, synaptophysin, and thyroid transcription factor-1. Our data support the hypothesis that the CTAVN of the heart and the SCNs of the thyroid are identical structures that represent the same lesional process. The assumption that CTAVN is a ultimobranchial heterotopia fits with the known role of cardiac neural crest cells in cardiovascular development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Clinical University Hospital, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cameselle-Teijeiro
authors.forename: Ihab
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Abdulkader
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.forename: Natividad
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Alfonsín-Barreiro
authors.forename: Julio
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Moldes-Boullosa
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sobrinho-Simões
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D001283:Atrioventricular Node / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D002828:Choristoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D003560:Cysts / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000196:embryology / Q000473:pathology; D014460:Ultimobranchial Body
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers