Biomaterial Database

Teratocarcinoma stem cells. 1990

I Damjanov

Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Jefferson Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107-5244.

Human teratocarcinomas or mixed germ cell tumours are histologically composed of diverse tissues corresponding to somatic and extraembryonic (trophoblastic and yolk sac) like cells, as well as malignant stem cells. In typical teratocarcinomas these stem cells correspond to embryonal carcinoma cells, ie developmentally pluripotent cells equivalent to embryonic cells from the early stages of development. These cells have the capacity to differentiate and give rise to non-proliferating terminally differentiated tissue. Occasionally embryonal carcinoma cells can give rise to more differentiated stem cells which have the phenotype and the restricted developmental potential of choriocarcinoma and yolk sac carcinoma cells, or less commonly to somatic cell malignancies, indistinguishable from typical carcinomas, sarcomas, melanoma or lymphomas. Malignant transformation of benign somatic tissues in teratomas can also give rise to malignant stem cells, which all have a somatic cell phenotype. The biology and the clinical presentation as well as the response to chemotherapy of germ cell tumours depend on the nature of stem cells that form their proliferative compartment and account for the malignancy of these tumours.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D010051	Ovarian Neoplasms	Tumors or cancer of the OVARY. These neoplasms can be benign or malignant. They are classified according to the tissue of origin, such as the surface EPITHELIUM, the stromal endocrine cells, and the totipotent GERM CELLS.	Cancer of Ovary,Ovarian Cancer,Cancer of the Ovary,Neoplasms, Ovarian,Ovary Cancer,Ovary Neoplasms,Cancer, Ovarian,Cancer, Ovary,Cancers, Ovarian,Cancers, Ovary,Neoplasm, Ovarian,Neoplasm, Ovary,Neoplasms, Ovary,Ovarian Cancers,Ovarian Neoplasm,Ovary Cancers,Ovary Neoplasm
D002471	Cell Transformation, Neoplastic	Cell changes manifested by escape from control mechanisms, increased growth potential, alterations in the cell surface, karyotypic abnormalities, morphological and biochemical deviations from the norm, and other attributes conferring the ability to invade, metastasize, and kill.	Neoplastic Transformation, Cell,Neoplastic Cell Transformation,Transformation, Neoplastic Cell,Tumorigenic Transformation,Cell Neoplastic Transformation,Cell Neoplastic Transformations,Cell Transformations, Neoplastic,Neoplastic Cell Transformations,Neoplastic Transformations, Cell,Transformation, Cell Neoplastic,Transformation, Tumorigenic,Transformations, Cell Neoplastic,Transformations, Neoplastic Cell,Transformations, Tumorigenic,Tumorigenic Transformations
D005260	Female		Females
D005854	Germ Cells	The reproductive cells in multicellular organisms at various stages during GAMETOGENESIS.	Gamete,Gametes,Germ-Line Cells,Germ Line,Cell, Germ,Cell, Germ-Line,Cells, Germ,Cells, Germ-Line,Germ Cell,Germ Line Cells,Germ Lines,Germ-Line Cell
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D013234	Stem Cells	Relatively undifferentiated cells that retain the ability to divide and proliferate throughout postnatal life to provide progenitor cells that can differentiate into specialized cells.	Colony-Forming Units,Mother Cells,Progenitor Cells,Colony-Forming Unit,Cell, Mother,Cell, Progenitor,Cell, Stem,Cells, Mother,Cells, Progenitor,Cells, Stem,Colony Forming Unit,Colony Forming Units,Mother Cell,Progenitor Cell,Stem Cell
D013724	Teratoma	A true neoplasm composed of a number of different types of tissue, none of which is native to the area in which it occurs. It is composed of tissues that are derived from three germinal layers, the endoderm, mesoderm, and ectoderm. They are classified histologically as mature (benign) or immature (malignant). (From DeVita Jr et al., Cancer: Principles & Practice of Oncology, 3d ed, p1642)	Dysembryoma,Teratoid Tumor,Teratoma, Cystic,Teratoma, Mature,Teratoma, Benign,Teratoma, Immature,Teratoma, Malignant,Benign Teratoma,Benign Teratomas,Dysembryomas,Immature Teratoma,Immature Teratomas,Malignant Teratoma,Malignant Teratomas,Teratoid Tumors,Teratomas,Teratomas, Benign,Teratomas, Immature,Teratomas, Malignant,Tumor, Teratoid,Tumors, Teratoid
D013736	Testicular Neoplasms	Tumors or cancer of the TESTIS. Germ cell tumors (GERMINOMA) of the testis constitute 95% of all testicular neoplasms.	Cancer of Testis,Cancer of the Testes,Testicular Cancer,Testicular Neoplasm,Testicular Tumor,Testis Cancer,Cancer of the Testis,Neoplasms, Testicular,Neoplasms, Testis,Testicular Tumors,Testis Neoplasms,Tumor of Rete Testis,Cancer, Testicular,Cancer, Testis,Cancers, Testicular,Cancers, Testis,Neoplasm, Testicular,Neoplasm, Testis,Rete Testis Tumor,Rete Testis Tumors,Testicular Cancers,Testis Cancers,Testis Neoplasm,Testis Tumor, Rete,Testis Tumors, Rete,Tumor, Testicular,Tumors, Testicular