Neural differentiation in Wilms' tumor.

Immunoperoxidase studies using antibodies to neuron-specific enolase (NSE), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and S100 were used to confirm the presence of neural differentiation identified histologically in five cases of Wilms' Tumor. These observations invite reappraisal of Masson's proposed neuroectodermal histogenesis of Wilms' tumor because they are difficult to reconcile with the currently accepted metanephrogenic blastematous origin. They also provide a stimulus to examine the expression of neural markers during normal renal development and differentiation.