title: Spontaneous nephroblastoma in a Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus).
abstract: An adult male Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) died accidentally, and necropsy showed a white mass (23 × 15 mm) in the left kidney and hepatorrhexis with hemoperitoneum. Histologically, the renal mass was mainly composed of immature nephroblastic tumor cells. In the tumor tissue, a trabecular pattern lined by oval to polygonal tumor cells with a rich interstitium, solid growth and a few tubular structures was observed. Nephroblastic tumor cells were strongly positive for vimentin and weakly positive, and epithelium-like tumor cells were strongly positive for cytokeratin. However, antibody for Wilms' tumor protein 1 did not react with the salamander's cells. On electron microscopy, a desmosome junction was observed between tumor cells. This is the first report of nephroblastoma in a Japanese giant salamander.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology, Azabu University, 1-17-71 Fuchinobe, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-5201, Japan.
authors.forename: Taiga
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawasumi
authors.forename: Tomoo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kudo
authors.forename: Yumi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Une
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D014562:Caudata; D009396:Wilms Tumor / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*