Craniopharyngioma, an intracranial, extra-axial, epithelial tumor of the
sellar or parasellar region that grows along the craniopharyngeal duct, was established
in 1904 as a distinct tumor type by the Austrian neuropathologist Jakob Erdheim.
Though classified as a Grade I tumor by the World Health Organization,
craniopharyngioma can cause significant morbidity through its intimate involvement
with and mass effects on surrounding critical structures, including the hypothalamus,
pituitary gland, and optic chiasm, and its tendency to recur even after successful
therapy. Many extensive and in-depth studies of craniopharyngioma have been
conducted; however, during the past century, studies of the genetic and molecular basis
of the two major craniopharyngioma subtypes (adamantinomatous and squamous
papillary) have been limited because of the benign histology, epidemiological rarity
(relative to malignant tumors), and lack of a tumor research platform and technical
conditions associated with these lesions. Therefore, consensus remains lacking with
respect to the etiology, pathological features, pathogenesis, and biological
characteristics of these formidable neoplasms. In this chapter, we reviewed
experimental craniopharyngioma research.
Keywords: Craniopharyngioma, EMT, Experimental research, Inflammation,
mice model.
