Several types of tissues have been reported to present ectopically in the umbilical cord (UC). Most of these are found in the UC proximal to the fetus. Featuring tissues are developmentally related to the area, thus representing vestigial remnants. In this report we describe the recognition of neurons and nerves within the UC in a stillborn with several malformations, an observation that we did not find in the literature.
HeifetzSA, Rueda-PedrazaE.Omphalomesenteric duct cysts of the umbilical cord. Pediatr Pathol1983;1:325–335.
2.
PremingerA, UdassinR, PappoO, AradI.Ectopic liver tissue within the umbilical cord. J Pediatr Surg2001;36:1085–1086.
3.
IwasakiI, YuTJ, ItahashiK, NitoA, YamaguchiH, OnokiJ.Isolated well-formed intestinal tissue in the umbilical cord. A variant of cyst of omphalomesenteric duct. Acta Pathol Jpn1986;36:565–569.
4.
BenirschkeK, KaufmannP.Anatomy and pathology of the umbilical cord and major fetal vessels. In: BenirschkeK, KaufmannP, eds. Pathology of the Human Placenta. 3rd ed. New York: Springer-Verlag, 1995; p 319–377.
5.
LewisSH, BenirschkeK.Placenta. In: SternbergSS, ed. Histology for Pathologists. 2nd ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott-Raven, 1997; p 961–994.
6.
HeifetzS.Pathology of the umbilical cord. In: LewisSH, PerrinE, eds. Pathology of the Placenta. 2nd ed. New York: Churchill Livingstone, 1999; p 107–135.
7.
FoxSB, KhongTY. Lack of inervation of human umbilical cord: an immunohistological and histochemical study. Placenta1990;11:59–62.
8.
HeifetzSA. Single umbilical artery. A statistical analysis of 237 autopsy cases and review of the literature. Perspect Pediatr Pathol1984;8:345–378.
9.
MitchellKE, WeissML, MitchellBM, MartinP, DavisD, MoralesL, HelwigB, BeerenstrauchM, Abou-EasaK, HildrethT, TroyerD.Matrix cells from Wharton's jelly form neurons and glia. Stem Cells2003;21:50–60.