Telocytes (interstitial Cajal-like cells) in human Fallopian tubes.

BACKGROUND: Telocytes represent a relatively newly discovered population of cells found within the various tissues and organs, including Fallopian tubes. It is presumed that telocytes could serve as a sensor of hormone levels or regulate activity of muscle peristaltic movement. METHODS: Tissue sections from anatomically different parts of Fallopian tubes of 48 women (age 48.8±9.1) were stained for the expression of five different antigens: c-kit (CD117), CD34, vimentin, podoplanin (D2-40) and Dog-1. RESULTS: Telocytes form a network associated with the smooth muscle cells. From the mentioned antibodies, only anti-c-kit (CD117) seems to be relatively selective specific to the telocytes, others react also with numerous other cells and tissue structures. Our results when using antibodies against podoplanin and Dog-1 are in dissonance with recent literature - with regards to our results, they are not suitable for detection of telocytes. CONCLUSION: Methods of immunohistochemistry are suitable for identification of telocytes in Fallopian tubes. C-kit (CD117) antigens are useful for routine identification of telocytes in histological sections. This antigen can be combined with CD34 or vimentin in cases of double staining immunohistochemistry.

[Functional morphology of recently discovered telocytes inside the female reproductive system]. / Funkcná morfológia novo objavených telocytov v zenskom pohlavnom systéme.

Discovery of telocytes has become an important and key challenge in past few years. These cells are interstitial cells extending very long cytoplasmic processes named telopodes, by which they create functional networks in the interstitium of different organs. Telocytes are considered to be connective tissue elements that create contacts among each other, but they also function as intercellular structures, functionally connected with cells of the immune system, neurons and smooth muscle cells. Telocytes can be found also in the different parts of female reproductive system with functions and purpose, which is summarized in our overview. Telocytes regulate for example peristaltic movements in fallopian tubes. The decrease of their number (due to inflammatory disease or endometriosis) causes impairment in transport through fallopian tubes which may result in sterility or tubal gravidity. In uterus they regulate contraction of myometrial smooth muscle (blood expulsion in menstrual phase, childbirth) as well as they contribute in immunological care during embryo implantation. Telocytes probably control also the involution of uterus after delivery. Their function in vagina has not been yet clearly defined; they probably take part in slow muscle contraction movement during sexual intercourse. In mammary glands some scientists suppose their function in control of cell proliferation and apoptosis, that is why, they may play a role in carcinogenesis. In placenta they probably monitor and regulate flow of blood in vessels of chorionic villi and they may be responsible also for etiopathogenesis of pre-eclampsy. All these mentioned functions of telocytes are only in the level of hypothesis and have been published recently. New research and studies will try to answer the questions whether telocytes play a key role in these processes. Our review we completed with some original microphotographs of telocytes in different organs of female reproductive system.

Prediction of additional lymph node involvement in breast cancer patients with positive sentinel lymph nodes.

Axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) has traditionally been the principal method for evaluating axillary lymph node status in breast cancer patients. In the past decades sentinel lymph nodes biopsy after lymphatic mapping has been used to stage the disease. The majority of sentinel lymph nodes (SLN) positive patients do not have additional metastases in non-sentinel nodes (non-SLN) after additional ALND. These patients are exposed to the morbidity of ALND without any benefit from additional axillary clearence. In the present study we would like to asses the criteria for selecting those patients, who have high risk for non-SLN metastases in the axilla in cases of positive SLN. In this retrospective analysis, clinical and pathologic data from 163 patients who underwent SLN biopsy followed by ALND were collected. Following clinical and pathological characteristics were analyzed to predict the likehood of non-SLN metastases: age, staging, histologic type and grading of the tumors, hormonal receptor status, HER-2 receptor status and Ki-67 protein, angioinvasion, metastases in SLN and non-SLN. Relative frequencies of individual characteristics between sample groups were statistically tested by Chi-square test at significance level p=0.5, when sample sizes in groups were small (≤5) by Fisher´s exact test. Metastasis in SLN were present in 67 (41%) of patients, 48 patients (29,4%) had metastasis also in non-SLN. The ratio between non-SLN positive / non-SLN negative lymph nodes in patients with positive SLN increases with the stage of the disease, the difference between values for the pT1c and pT2 stadium was statistically significant (p = 0.0296). The same applies to grading, but the differences were not significant (p>0.05). We could not find significant differences for angioinvasion of the tumor, probably for small number of patients with angioinvasion (p>0.05).Only the stage of the tumor was shown to be significant in predicting the metastasis in non-SLN in our group of breast cancer patients with positive SLN Nearly 80% of the patients of 70 years and older displayed no benefit from axillary staging, because of negative SLN as well as non-SLN, although thanks to the small sample size this was not a statistically significant result. Furthermore, current recommendations for axillary staging in breast cancer patients are discussed.