Immunological differential diagnosis of human brain tumours

Results of immunological experiments with various human brain tumours show differences between astrocytoma and glioblastoma multiforme when brain-specific alpha2-glycoprotein is used as an immunological marker. On this basis a tentative model of cytogenesis and oncogenic transformation of glial cells was presented. Morphological resemblances between the brain-specific alpha2-glycoprotein immuno-precipitation lines obtained from astrocytoma cells and from normal cerebral white matter treated with neuraminidase are discussed in relation to experimental and clinical studies of tumour cells treated with neuraminidase.