Myoid Gonadal Stromal Tumor with Epithelial Differentiation (? Testicular Myoepithelioma)

Abstract

A 46-year-old man presented with a cytologically bland testicular tumor composed of spindle cells that showed both epitheliallike (ie, true desmosomes and tonofilamentlike structures) and myogenous differentiation (ie, thin filaments with focal densities and α-smooth muscle actin immunoreac-tivity). Tumor cells were immunoreactive for vimen-tin and S-100 protein but negative for cytokeratin and desmin. Peritubular myoid cells are present in the normal testis; contain subplasmalemmal micro-pinocytotic vesicles; show thin filaments with focal densities; and are reactive with desmin, vimentin, and α-smooth muscle actin. They have no desmosomes and lie outside the basement membrane of the seminiferous tubules; thus they are not true myoepithelial cells (a cell type not present in the testis). Paradoxically, the current tumor appeared to show bidirectional differentiation, mimicking both a peritubular myoid spindle cell and an epitheliallike cell (possibly similar to the granulosa cell or rete testis epithelial cell). Although the findings suggest myoepithelial differentiation, the cytogenesis of this tumor remains uncertain.

Key Words:

• epithelium
• myoepithelium
• myoid cell
• stroma
• testis
• tumor