Int. J. Dev. Biol. 57: 197 - 200 (2013)

https://doi.org/10.1387/ijdb.130143id

Vol 57, Issue 2-3-4

Special Issue: Male Germ Cells in Development & Tumors

Testicular germ cell tumors and related research from a historical point of view

Published: 30 May 2013

Ivan Damjanov*^,1 and Nicolai Wewer-Albrechtsen²

¹Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, KS, USA and ²Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Abstract

In this brief overview of the history of testicular germ cell tumors, we touch upon the key events and personalities that have contributed to our current understanding of germ cell tumors in general, and those of the testis in particular. The intricacies of human germ cell tumor pathology and histogenesis have been elucidated in part by contributions in the field of experimental pathology and developmental biology. Correlation between clinical oncologic findings, pathology and experimental studies of germ cell tumors and related topics ushered the era of cellular and genetic engineering that have revolutionized contemporary cell and molecular biology.

Keywords

history, testis, germ cell tumor, teratoma, teratocarcinoma, embryonal carcinoma, embryonic stem cell