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Abstract
Intravitreous inoculation of human adenovirus type 12 (Huie strain) in 59 newborn hamsters produced 12 extraocular orbital tumors 27 to 106 days after a single injection. Histopathologic studies suggest that these tumors are an undifferentiated malignant neoplasm that closely resembles a neuroepithelioma that can be induced in the central nervous system by the same virus. Although the neoplastic cells had different architectural patterns, the basic structure showed a uniform perivascular festooning, accompanied by the formation of pseudorosettes. Serial sectioning indicated that the ciliary ganglia and parasympathetic efferent fibers were missing in all 12 eyes. Hypertropic nerve fibers embedded in tumor mass were occasionally seen. Electron microscopic observations suggest that these tumors are poorly differentiated malignant counterparts of an epithelial tumor withits nidus in neural primordia.