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Nucleolar organizer regions (NORs). Basic concepts and practical application in tumor pathology
J Rüschoff1, K Plate, A Bittinger
1Department of Pathology, Philipps University, Marburg, FRG.
Pathology, Research and Practice
|December 1, 1989
Summary
The AgNOR technique uses silver staining to identify nucleolar organizer regions, serving as a proliferation marker in tumor pathology. This method aids in malignancy diagnosis and grading for various cancers.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Cell Biology
- Pathology
Background:
- Nucleolar Organizer Regions (NORs) contain non-histone proteins linked to ribosomal DNA.
- These proteins are active during protein synthesis and cell proliferation.
- The AgNOR technique visualizes these proteins using silver staining.
Purpose of the Study:
- Introduce the novel AgNOR staining technique for tumor pathology.
- Evaluate the AgNOR technique's utility in malignancy diagnosis and tumor grading.
- Demonstrate the application of AgNOR staining on various specimen types.
Main Methods:
- Utilized silver staining (AgNOR technique) to highlight intranucleolar proteins.
- Examined metaphasic and interphasic cells to understand the argyrophilic reaction.
- Applied the AgNOR technique to tissue sections (meningiomas), organ sections (renal carcinomas), and cytologic specimens (urinary washouts).
- Employed image analysis to quantify AgNOR number and area.
Main Results:
- AgNOR content proved valuable for diagnosing malignancy and grading tumors.
- Both the mean number and mean area of AgNOR dots showed diagnostic significance.
- The technique was successfully applied to formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues and cytologic samples.
Conclusions:
- The AgNOR technique is a simple, inexpensive, and accurate method for pathologists.
- It serves as a reliable marker for malignancy diagnosis.
- AgNOR staining is a valuable new tool for diagnostic pathology.