Light and electron microscopic investigations on a transplantable tumour of the rat, induced by transplacental administration of ENU (ethylnitrosourea).

With a single dose of 80 mg/kg ENU, a tumour originating from the trigeminal nerve was induced transplacentally in the offspring of a Sprague-Dawley rat. The neoplasm diagnosed as a neurinoma, was transplanted over 20 passages to 5 six-month-old Sprague-Dawley rats in each case. During this time, the biological behaviour of the tumour as well as its histological appearance were followed. Ultrastructural observations were made of the 20th passage. The tumour caused multiple metastases in the lung and in the lymph nodes of the neck in 30 animals. Recurrences were formed within a week, metastases of the lung appeared from then on in all cases. During the time of transplantation, the neurinoma dedifferentiated histologically so markedly that it was no longer possible to classify the neoplasm as a neurogenous tomour after 20 passages. Ultrastructurally, poorly differentiated Schwann cells could nevertheless be recognized.