Caption |
Glandular mammary adenocarcinoma with epithelial to mesenchymal transition: this photomicrograph focuses on an area of epithelial to mesenchymal transition. A few glands lined by a one cell-thick cuboidal epithelium persist at the center of the area of epithelial to mesenchymal transition. Epithelial to mesenchymal transition is characterized by neoplastic cells acquiring a spindloid to epithelioid phenotype and blending into the stroma. Cells that have undergone epithelial to mesenchymal transition have distinct cell borders and a moderate to large amount of strongly acidophilic cytoplasm. The nucleus is oval, normochromatic, and with 1-2 small basophilic nucleoli. Cells with an epithelial phenotype are polygonal, with indistinct cell borders, and a small to moderate amount of amphophilic cytoplasm. The nucleus is central, round, slightly hyperchromatic and with a punctate chromatin. |