Characterisation of neuroendocrine tumors in transgenic mice
1Department of Human Pathology, University of Pavia, Italy.
Abstract:
Transgenic mice carrying hybrid constructs made by hormone gene promoters attached to viral oncogene sequences proved extremely valuable to investigate the regulatory potency of hormone gene 5' regions. These transgenic mice heritably develop tumors from hormone-producing cells and offer excellent opportunities for studying oncogenesis in the neuroendocrine system. Here the histology of neuroendocrine tumors of three transgenic mice strains (AVP/SV40; RIP1Tag2/RIP2PyST1; GLU2/Tag) is reviewed, preneoplastic lesions are described and tumor development morphology is reconstructed. Transgenic mice experiments provide unique tools for expanding our knowledge of neuroendocrine tumor histogenesis.


