Cellular progression of neoplasia in the subcutis of mice after implantation of 3,4-benzpyrene

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Abstract
An implantation model was used to investigate the cellular progression of chemically induced s.c. neoplasia in the mouse. Implantation of 3,4-benzpyrene induced persistent changes in the normal process of connective tissue formation around the implant. Lightmicroscope and autoradiographic studies showed a temporal progression from aberrant filter- or muscle-associated cells through proliferative foci to large invasive sarcoma. EM revealed that presarcomatous cell foci consisted of 1 of 2 different cell types. These were spindle cells with ultrastructural characteristics similar to foreign-body-induced sarcoma or cells with the ultrastructural features of rhabdomyosarcoma. The subsequent appearance of 2 histological groups of sarcoma that were ultrastructurally similar to the cells of the early proliferative foci indicated that both elements may progress to form tumors. The constituent cells of both groups of tumors displayed a broad histological and and ultrastructural spectrum and the marked similarity between the undifferentiated cells of each suggested that both may have arisen from diverse differentiation of a common pluripotential cell such as the pericyte.