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Diagnostics and therapeutics for medulloepitheliomas, which are aggressive and extremely rare tumors, have been quite challenging. Protheragen is building the future with innovative diagnostics, therapeutics, and preclinical research services. With our unique capability of comprehensive animal model development and research, we are able to efficiently address medulloepithelioma which makes us a trustworthy ally in the battle with it.
Medulloepithelioma, an extremely uncommon type of eye tumor, is one of the neoplasms that arises from the non-pigmented ciliary epithelium - a part of the eye. Most cases are diagnosed before ten years of age, making it the second most common primary intraocular neoplasm after retinoblastoma. The tumor's features include a resemblance to the developing retinal structures and the embryonic neural tube and contain pseudostratified neuroepithelium with a stroma containing abundant hyaluronic acid.
Fig.1 Histopathologic image of ciliary body medulloepithelioma by hematoxylin-eosin staining. (He J., et al., 2023)Medulloepitheliomas can be subdivided into teratoid and non-teratoid types with the latter containing cartilage, neuroglial tissue, or rhabdomyoblasts as heteroplastic elements. Because the tumor grows insidiously and remains quiescent for long periods, it is usually associated with secondary complications like cataracts, glaucoma, and vision loss.
Histopathological Examination
Histopathology continues to be the anchor of medulloepithelioma diagnostics. The tumor is composed of nulliparous neuroepithelial cell cords which undulate in a stroma with abundant hyaluronic acid. It is diagnostic by immunohistochemistry using the following markers: vimentin, neuron-specific enolase (NSE), and cytokeratin.
Fine-Needle Aspiration Biopsy
Fine-needle aspiration biopsy has begun to gain prominence as an important tool in the diagnosis of medulloepithelioma. This procedure can provide tumor cell samples for examination of pertinent features which range from pseudostratified neuroepithelium undifferentiated neuroblasts. FNA reduces the need for more invasive procedures while concomitantly providing a diagnosis in a much shorter period.
Molecular Diagnostics
The diagnosis of medulloepithelioma is increasingly reliant on tumor genetic sequencing and other molecular diagnostics. The detection of DICER1 mutations is critical for understanding the tumor's etiology and useful therapeutic interventions. Furthermore, the examination of other genetic markers and pathways which facilitate the development of tumors may further elucidate the molecular basis of
Protheragen offers a wide range of services to support medulloepithelioma diagnostics and therapeutics development. These include custom animal model development, high-throughput drug screening, biomarker discovery, and translational research. Our team of experts is dedicated to providing tailored solutions to meet the unique challenges of medulloepithelioma therapy development.
Protheragen offers comprehensive in vitro and in vivo animal model development services to support medulloepithelioma research. Our in vitro services include the establishment of primary cell cultures and 3D organoid models, which provide a platform for high-throughput drug screening. If you are interested in our services, please feel free to contact us.
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