Teratoma causes
|
Teratoma Microchapters |
|
Diagnosis |
|---|
|
Treatment |
|
Case Studies |
|
Teratoma causes On the Web |
|
American Roentgen Ray Society Images of Teratoma causes |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] ; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Masoud Bitarafan, M.D[[2]]
Overview
Causes
Teratomas result from a complication in the body’s growth process, involving the way that body cells differentiate and specialize.Teratomas arise in body’s germ cells, which are produced very early in the development of the fetus.Some of these primitive germ cells become our sperm- and egg-producing cells. But germ cells can also be found elsewhere in the body, especially in the region of the tailbone and the mediastinum (a membrane separating the lungs).
Germ cells are a type of cell known as pluripotent. That means they are capable of differentiating into any type of specialized cell that can be found in our body.One theory of teratomas suggests that the condition originates in these primordial germ cells. This is called the parthenogenic theory and is now the prevailing view.
It explains how teratomas can be found with hair, wax, teeth, and can even appear as an almost-formed fetus. The location of teratomas also argues for their origin in primitive germ cells.