title: Of mice and men: teratomas and teratocarcinomas.
abstract: Teratomas and teratocarcinomas are tumors containing tissue derivatives of all three germ-layers. They can be induced by transplantation of animal embryos to ectopic microenvironment. Development of malignant teratocarcinomas depends on embryonic stage, species-specificity and immunological competence of the host. In the man, teratomas and teratocarcinomas usually represent a subtype of germ-cell tumors but sacrococcygeal teratomas arise from the remnants of the pluripotent primitive streak. Undifferentiated embryonal carcinoma (EC) cells are responsible for the malignancy of experimental mouse teratocarcinomas. Mouse EC cells injected to the adult give rise to tumors and upon injection to early embryos to differentiated tissues--thus resembling normal mouse embryonic stem cells (mESC). Epigenetic changes rather than mutations are associated with transformation of mESC to EC cells. Human EC and ES cell-lines (hESC) contain chromosomal abnormalities and can form teratocarcinoma after transplantation. ES cells are among those proposed for cell replacement therapy in the man. Suicide gene introduction should be recommended prior to their use in vivo to ablate them in case of malignant transformation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Croatia. floriana@mef.hr
authors.forename: Floriana
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bulić-Jakus
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ulamec
authors.forename: Maja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vlahović
authors.forename: Nino
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sincić
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Katusić
authors.forename: Gordana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jurić-Lekć
authors.forename: Ljiljana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Serman
authors.forename: Bozo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kruslin
authors.forename: Mladen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Belicza
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D051381:Rats; D018243:Teratocarcinoma / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D013724:Teratoma / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy