title: Nonproliferative and proliferative lesions of the rat and mouse female reproductive system.
abstract: The INHAND (International Harmonization of Nomenclature and Diagnostic Criteria for Lesions in Rats and Mice) Project (www.toxpath.org/inhand.asp) is a joint initiative of the Societies of Toxicological Pathology from Europe (ESTP), Great Britain (BSTP), Japan (JSTP) and North America (STP) to develop an internationally accepted nomenclature for proliferative and nonproliferative lesions in laboratory animals. The purpose of this publication is to provide a standardized nomenclature for classifying microscopic lesions observed in the female reproductive tract of laboratory rats and mice, with color photomicrographs illustrating examples of some lesions. The standardized nomenclature presented in this document is also available electronically on the internet (http://www.goreni.org/). Sources of material included histopathology databases from government, academia, and industrial laboratories throughout the world. Content includes spontaneous and aging lesions as well as lesions induced by exposure to test materials. There is also a section on normal cyclical changes observed in the ovary, uterus, cervix and vagina to compare normal physiological changes with pathological lesions. A widely accepted and utilized international harmonization of nomenclature for female reproductive tract lesions in laboratory animals will decrease confusion among regulatory and scientific research organizations in different countries and provide a common language to increase and enrich international exchanges of information among toxicologists and pathologists.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Toxicology Program, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: Darlene
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dixon
authors.affiliation: Roger Alison Ltd, Pathology Consultancy Services, Caerfyrddin Fach, Cilcennin, Lampeter, SA48 8RN, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Alison
authors.affiliation: Bayer Pharma AG, Wuppertal, Germany.
authors.forename: Ute
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Bach
authors.affiliation: Novartis Institute for Biomedical Research, Novartis, East Hanover, New Jersey, USA.
authors.forename: Karyn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Colman
authors.affiliation: AbbVie, Inc., North Chicago, Illinois, USA.
authors.forename: George L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Foley
authors.affiliation: Fresenius Kabi Deutschland GmbH, Bad Homburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Johannes H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Harleman
authors.affiliation: GlaxoSmithKline R&D, Park Road, Ware, Hertfordshire, SG12 ODP, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Haworth
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Toxicology Program, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: Ronald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Herbert
authors.affiliation: Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, Grenzacher Strasse 124, 4070 Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Anke
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Heuser
authors.affiliation: Experimental Pathology Laboratories, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.
authors.forename: Gerald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Long
authors.affiliation: Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, Groton, Connecticut, USA.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mirsky
authors.affiliation: Regan Path/Tox Services, Ashland, Ohio, USA.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Regan
authors.affiliation: InSight Pathology BV, Chopinlaan 6, Oss, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Van Esch
authors.affiliation: AstraZeneca, Macclesfield, Cheshire, United Kingdom (Retired).
authors.forename: F Russell
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Westwood
authors.affiliation: GlaxoSmithKline, King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Justin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vidal
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Health Sciences, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Midori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yoshida
keywords: cervix; diagnostic pathology; female reproductive; nomenclature; ovary; uterus; vagina