Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 2, 2026

The Use of Reverse Phase Protein Arrays (RPPA) to Explore Protein Expression Variation within Individual Renal Cell Cancers
12:22

The Use of Reverse Phase Protein Arrays (RPPA) to Explore Protein Expression Variation within Individual Renal Cell Cancers

Published on: January 22, 2013

Ras p21 expression in nephroblastoma group tumors

I Aoki1, S Yanoma, K Misugi

  • 1Department of Pathology, Yokohama City University School of Medicine, Japan.

Acta Pathologica Japonica
|December 1, 1987
PubMed

Insights

Ras p21 expression was studied in nephroblastoma and related tumors. Positive staining was observed in primitive tumor structures and rhabdomyocytic cells, but not in differentiated or congenital mesoblastic nephroma cells.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Pathology

Background:

  • Ras p21 is a protein involved in cell signaling and proliferation.
  • Aberrant Ras p21 expression is implicated in various cancers.
  • Nephroblastoma (Wilms tumor) is a common pediatric kidney cancer.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the expression patterns of Ras p21 protein in nephroblastoma and related pediatric kidney tumors.
  • To determine if Ras p21 expression can serve as a marker for specific tumor types or differentiation states.

Main Methods:

  • Immunoperoxidase staining was performed on 30 cases of nephroblastoma and related tumors.
  • A monoclonal anti-ras p21 antibody (RAP-5) was used for detection.
  • Normal renal tissue was included as a control.

Main Results:

  • Ras p21 was detected in normal renal tubular and arterial smooth muscle cells.
  • Positive Ras p21 staining was found in epithelial cells of primitive tubular/glomerular-like structures and in rhabdomyocytic cells within nephroblastomas.
  • Differentiated epithelial cells, rhabdoid cells, congenital mesoblastic nephroma cells, and non-neoplastic stromal/sarcomatous cells showed negative staining for Ras p21.

Conclusions:

  • Ras p21 expression is heterogeneous in nephroblastoma and related tumors.
  • Ras p21 positivity may be associated with primitive cellular components and rhabdomyocytic differentiation in nephroblastoma.
  • Ras p21 does not appear to be a universal marker for all types of pediatric kidney tumors, particularly differentiated or congenital mesoblastic nephroma.

More Related Videos

Analysis of Nephron Composition and Function in the Adult Zebrafish Kidney08:53

Analysis of Nephron Composition and Function in the Adult Zebrafish Kidney

Published on: August 9, 2014

Isolation of Glomeruli and In Vivo Labeling of Glomerular Cell Surface Proteins09:12

Isolation of Glomeruli and In Vivo Labeling of Glomerular Cell Surface Proteins

Published on: January 18, 2019

Related Concept Videos

Negative Regulator Molecules01:23

Negative Regulator Molecules

Positive regulators allow a cell to advance through cell cycle checkpoints. Negative regulators have an equally important role as they terminate a cell’s progression through the cell cycle—or pause it—until the cell meets specific criteria.
Abnormal Proliferation02:23

Abnormal Proliferation

Under normal conditions, most adult cells remain in a non-proliferative state unless stimulated by internal or external factors to replace lost cells. Abnormal cell proliferation is a condition in which the cell's growth exceeds and is uncoordinated with normal cells. In such situations, cell division persists in the same excessive manner even after cessation of the stimuli, leading to persistent tumors. The tumor arises from the damaged cells that replicate to pass the damage to the daughter...
The Ras Gene02:38

The Ras Gene

The Ras-gene-encoded proteins are regulators of signaling pathways controlling cell proliferation, differentiation, or cell survival. The Ras-gene family in humans constitutes three primary members—the HRas, NRas, and KRas. These genes code for four functionally distinct yet closely related proteins—the HRas, NRas, KRas4A, and KRas4B. The involvement of mutant Ras genes in human cancer was first discovered in 1982 and is among the most common causes of human tumorigenesis.
Ras is a superfamily...
The Retinoblastoma Gene01:20

The Retinoblastoma Gene

Tumor suppressor genes are normal genes that can slow down cell division, repair DNA mistakes, or program the cells for apoptosis in case of irreparable damage. Hence, they play an essential role in preventing the proliferation of damaged cells.
The first-ever tumor suppressor gene called Rb was identified in retinoblastoma - a rare eye tumor in children. In inherited forms of the disease, a child inherits one defective copy of the Rb gene, which predisposes them to retinoblastoma. However,...