Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
20
CHAPTER
Expression of Cell-Cell Adhesion
Molecules in Matrical Tumors of Hairs,
Nails, Teeth and Pituitary Gland
Alejandro Peralta Soler
1,*
and James L. Burchette
2
1
The Richfi eld Laboratory of Dermatopathology, 9844 Redhill Drive, Cincinnati,
OH 45242, E-mail:
AlexPSoler@hotmail.com
2
Immunopathology Lab, Department of Pathology, Duke University Medical
Center, Trent Drive, Room 4338 South Clinic Building, Durham, NC 27710
E-mail:
jburch01@aol.com
ABSTRACT
In mammals, hard adnexal structures comprise hairs, nails and teeth. h ese
structures can give rise to tumors with phenotypical features of the matrix
cells that originate them. Although the pituitary gland is not considered a hard
structure, matrical tumors of the pituitary gland will be included in this group,
because of their embryological and phenotypical similitude with tumors of the
teeth. Although matrical tumors are not usually grouped together, the purpose of
this chapter is to classify them as a unique type of tumors that share morphological
features and β-catenin oncogenic signal pathways.
Matrical tumors of the hair follicles include the pilomatricoma, pilomatrix
carcinoma and melanocytic matricoma. Other follicular tumors that may exhibit
partial matrical features include trichoepithelioma, trichoblastoma, basal cell
carcinoma and panfolliculoma. h e matrical tumors of the nail are rare and include
the onychomatricoma and its variants, the unguioblastoma and unguioblastic
i broma. Matrical tumors of the teeth include the calcifying odontogenic cysts,
and ameloblastoma and its variants. h e matrical tumors of the pituitary gland
include craniopharyngioma and its variants, originated from remnants of the
Rathke's pouch, which shares embryological origin with the buccopharynx.
