title: Expression of cell cycle and apoptosis regulators in thymus and thymic epithelial tumors.
abstract: The human thymus supports the production of self-tolerant T cells with competent and regulatory functions. Various cellular components of the thymic microenvironment such as thymic epithelial cells (TEC) and dendritic cells play essential roles in thymic T cell differentiation. The multiple cellular events occurring during thymic T cell and TEC differentiation involve proteins regulating cell cycle and apoptosis. Dysregulation of the cell cycle and apoptosis networks is involved in the pathogenesis of thymic epithelial tumors (TET) which are divided into two broad categories, thymomas and thymic carcinomas. The present review focuses on the usefulness of the analysis of the expression patterns of major cell cycle and apoptosis regulators in order to gain insight in the histophysiology of thymus and the histopathology, the clinical behavior and the biology of TET.
authors: Department of Pathology, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece. apapoudoubai@gmail.com.|Department of Anatomy-Histology-Embryology, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece. apapoudoubai@gmail.com.|Departments of Pathology and Anatomy, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece. apapoudoubai@gmail.com.
authors: Alexandra
authors: A
authors: Papoudou-Bai
authors: Department of Anatomy-Histology-Embryology, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece.
authors: Alexandra
authors: A
authors: Barbouti
authors: Department of Anatomy-Histology-Embryology, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece.
authors: Vassiliki
authors: V
authors: Galani
authors: Department of Pathology, Agia Sophia Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors: Kalliopi
authors: K
authors: Stefanaki
authors: Department of Pathology, Evangelismos Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors: Dimitra
authors: D
authors: Rontogianni
authors: Department of Anatomy-Histology-Embryology, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece. pkanavar@cc.uoi.gr.|Departments of Pathology and Anatomy, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece. pkanavar@cc.uoi.gr.
authors: Panagiotis
authors: P
authors: Kanavaros
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D009375:Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000502:physiology*; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins
keywords: Apoptosis; Cell cycle; Thymic epithelial tumors; Thymus