6th ESACP Congress, Heidelberg, April 7-11, 1999

A046
DEGENERATIVE AND REGENERATIVE PROCESSES IN FETAL ORGAN ECTOPIC GROWTH
Coulic V, Hustin J, De Vuyst M, Deprez C, Staroukine M, Deltenre M

CHU Brugmann, Brussels, Belgium

Ectopic development of fetal organs was proved possible and multiphasic.
AIM: To check the relations between degenerative and regenerative features at different moments of this development.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: Intestines, stomach, pancreas, heart from donors aged 16-20 days i.u. were implanted into a subcutaneous ear pouch of 120 syngenic adult rats and mice. Optic and electron microscopy, histochemistry and immunoassay were provided.
RESULTS: 1) During the 1st week in all grafted organs degenerative processes were predominant and affected the most differentiated elements. A mild inflammatory reaction was noted. 2) At weeks 2-4 regeneration was predominant: mitosis, multiplication of undifferentiated cells, their further maturation and organization into tissue. However intestinal muscular layers remaied myoblastic; the gastric graft contents was not restored until stimulation of the mucosa by BSA was provided; pancreas was represented only by tubular structures and isolated endocrine cells with an important inflammatory reaction.The heart implant was constituted by a myoblastic cuff surrounding endothelial-like cells. 3) Later one implant showed a more or less evident degradation but proliferation was always present. Some pathology was noted: retention kysts, ulceration (bovel and stomach), polyps (colon), adipous degeneration (heart, pancreas).
CONCLUSION: Fetal organ ectopic growth seems an interesting model of physiological and pathological regeneration and degeneration, usually the same as in humans.