Histogenesis of Brenner tumors, II: histochemistry and CEA.

The histochemical characteristics of 21 benign Brenner tumors were studied. The mucins associated with these tumors are of transitional cell origin and do not represent a secondary metaplasia of transitional to intestinal-type epithelium. The goblet and ciliated columnar cells associated with the proliferative Brenner tumor are thought to represent a parallel mucinous metaplasia from celomic epithelium. Thirteen of the 16 benign Brenner tumors and the one proliferative Brenner tumor were found to contain carcinoembyronic antigen (CEA), indicating an additional antigenic similarity to transitional epithelium.