We report here on the characterization and immunohistochemical localization in human tissues of calcitonin receptor-like receptor (CRLR) which was recently found to mediate the effects of both calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and adrenomedullin (ADM). Western blot analysis using antibodies raised against the first extracellular loop and the carboxy-terminal part of hCRLR, respectively, detected two major bands corresponding to about 70 and 60 kDa in membrane preparations of cultured endothelial cells and numerous organs including lung, heart ventricle and kidney. Immunohistochemical analysis of the cardiovascular system revealed CRLR-like immunoreactivity (CRLR-LI) in the endothelium of all blood vessels including large and small arteries, veins and capillaries, and in heart muscle cells and endocardium. The lung showed intense staining over the alveolar capillaries. Within the digestive tract, staining was observed over the cells lining the excretory ducts of the parotid gland, over the epithelium of the fundic glands of stomach, endocrine cells of the duodenum and ileum and some myenteric ganglia. The kidney presented staining of the juxtaglomerular arteries, the glomerular capillaries and chief cells of the collecting duct. Within the endocrine organs, a strong CRLR-LI signal was observed over the Langerhans islets, and weak immunoreactivity in the Leydig cells of testis. Spleen showed intense staining in trabecular veins and sinuses. Macrophages displayed a variable immunoreactivity. Our data demonstrate a wide distribution of CRLR throughout the human body and suggest CRLR to be involved in the mediation of a variety of actions in addition to vascular control.

We report a case of giant multilocular cystadenoma of the prostate in a 43-year-old man. This is a rare benign entity of the prostate imitating symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia and originates from the prostate with extensive spread into the pelvis. Histologically, prostatic glands and cysts lined by cuboid to columnar epithelial cells with basally located nuclei are characteristic. Immunohistochemical staining is positive for prostate-specific antigen in the epithelial cells. Giant multilocular prostatic cystadenoma should be taken into account in the differential diagnosis in any case of a large cystic mass originating from the prostate.

We report on a case of penile epithelioid sarcoma in a 29-year-old man presenting with a dorsal penile plaque that primarily was misdiagnosed as Peyronie's disease. Although the initial clinical findings of these two different entities appear similar, the consequence for the patient is severe. The only way of differentiating these disorders are histological findings. The principal microscopic characteristics of epithelioid sarcoma are the distinctive nodular arrangement, central degeneration and necrosis of the tumor cells with epithelioid appearance and eosinophilia. Immunohistochemical data (cytokeratin, epithelial membrane antigen, vimentin, CD 34, desmin) confirm the diagnosis. We conclude that in cases with slightest doubts on the diagnosis of Peyronie's disease, especially in younger men suffering from a fast-growing penile induration, a bioptic clarification of the entity should be performed to exclude a high malignant disease that can be only treated as far as it is localized by radical surgery.

In den meisten Fällen erfolgt die Diagnose Endometriumkarzinom in einem frühen, doch auch in ca. 20 % in einem fortgeschrittenen Stadium. Welche tumorbiologischen Eigenschaften führen dazu, dass einige Endometriumkarzinome erst in fortgeschrittenen Stadien entdeckt werden? Material und Methodik: Ein Kollektiv von 183 Patientinnen mit Karzinomen des Endometriums wurde reevaluiert im Hinblick auf das klinische Follow-up sowie der Histopathologie (myometrane Tumorinvasionstiefe, Tumortyp, Grading, Lymphangiosis und Hämangiosis carcinomatosa, Tumornekrose). Zusätzlich erfolgten immunhistochemische Färbungen zur Detektion der Expression von Östrogen-und Progesteronrezeptor, Fibronektin und Faktor VII aktivierende Protease (FSAP) unter Verwendung der Streptavidin-Biotin-Methode. Mithilfe der Kaplan-Meier-Überlebenszeitanalyse wurden die prognostischen Parameter analysiert; bivariate Korrelationen sowie einfache und schrittweise Diskriminanzanalyse ermöglichten die Analyse der Relevanz der genannten Faktoren im Hinblick auf die Tumorprogression. Ergebnisse: Tumorstadium (FIGO) und Hämangiosis carcinomatosa konnten als wichtigste Prognosefaktoren des Endometriumkarzinoms identifiziert werden. Hinsichtlich der o. g. Fragestellung wurde die Lymphangiosis carcinomatosa als wichtigster

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