Abstract
Immunofluorescence and immunoperoxidase (peroxidase-antiperoxidase, PAP) techniques for the demonstration of neural and non-neural cell markers are contributing greatly to increase the diagnostic accuracy of difficult tumors of the central nervous system. Well characterized nervous system markers include glial fibrillary acidic (GFA) protein, the three protein subunits of neurofilaments, neuron-specific enolase (NSE), myelin basic protein, and S-100 protein. The most important and reliable of these is GFA protein, which is widely in use for the immunohistochemical diagnosis of tumors of the glioma group. Its many practical applications are reviewed and illustrated. Other neural markers, in particular the specificity of NSE and S-100 protein, need to be critically evaluated. Problems related to the immunohistochemical diagnosis of central neuroepithelial tumors of putative neuroblastic origin remain complex and still need to be resolved. Non-neural markers, such as vimentin, desmin, cytokeratins, Factor VIII, alpha-fetoprotein, human chorionic gonadotropin, and immunoglobulins have well defined, although more restricted, applications in surgical neuropathology.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
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Review
MeSH terms
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Antibodies, Monoclonal / immunology
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Antigens / analysis
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Carcinoma / analysis
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Carcinoma / secondary
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Central Nervous System Diseases / diagnosis
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Central Nervous System Diseases / metabolism*
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Chorionic Gonadotropin / analysis
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Cytoskeleton / analysis
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Desmin
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Factor VIII / analysis
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Factor VIII / immunology
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Fluorescent Antibody Technique
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Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein
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Histocytochemistry
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Humans
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Immune Sera / immunology
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Immunoenzyme Techniques
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Immunoglobulins / analysis
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Intermediate Filament Proteins / analysis
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Keratins / analysis
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Lymphoma / analysis
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Medical Oncology / methods
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Meningeal Neoplasms / analysis
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Myelin Basic Protein / analysis
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Neoplasm Metastasis
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Neoplasms / analysis
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Neoplasms / diagnosis
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Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / diagnosis
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Neurology / methods
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Oligodendroglia / analysis
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Phosphopyruvate Hydratase / analysis
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S100 Proteins / analysis
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Sarcoma / analysis
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Vascular Diseases / metabolism
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Vimentin
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alpha-Fetoproteins / analysis
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von Willebrand Factor
Substances
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Antibodies, Monoclonal
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Antigens
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Chorionic Gonadotropin
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Desmin
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Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein
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Immune Sera
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Immunoglobulins
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Intermediate Filament Proteins
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Myelin Basic Protein
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S100 Proteins
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Vimentin
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alpha-Fetoproteins
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von Willebrand Factor
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Keratins
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Factor VIII
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Phosphopyruvate Hydratase