| First Author | Bjerknes M | Year | 1999 |
| Journal | Am J Pathol | Volume | 154 |
| Issue | 6 | Pages | 1831-4 |
| PubMed ID | 10362808 | Mgi Jnum | J:55509 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:1338597 | Doi | 10.1016/S0002-9440(10)65439-9 |
| Citation | Bjerknes M, et al. (1999) Colossal crypts bordering colon adenomas in Apc(Min) mice express full-length Apc. Am J Pathol 154(6):1831-4 |
| abstractText | Enlarged but nondysplastic crypts are frequently observed at the margins of colon tumors, forming what has been called a transitional epithelium. It is now thought that this is a reactive state and not a preneoplastic condition as previously suggested. We have used the mouse familial adenomatous polyposis model, ApcMin, to study these abnormal adenoma-associated crypts. We report that these nondysplastic crypts are enormous (as much as 10 times normal length) and branch more frequently than normal crypts. They express wild-type Apc protein and display the wild-type Apc allele. We conclude that the colossal crypts at adenoma margins have normal Apc gene function, consistent with the suggestion that their phenotype is a reactive state. The cause remains an open question, but the dramatic epithelial response hints at the presence of potent epithelial trophic factors in the vicinity of colon tumors. |
