An appraisal of intermediate filament expression in adult and developing pancreas: vimentin is expressed in alpha cells of rat and mouse embryos.

Intermediate filaments are frequently used in studies of developmental biology as markers of cell differentiation. To assess whether they can be useful to identify differentiating pancreatic endocrine cells, we examined the pattern of expression of nestin, cytokeratin 20, and vimentin on acetone-fixed cryosections of rat adult and developing pancreas. We also studied vimentin expression in mouse embryonic pancreas at E19.

Nestin expression in adult and developing human kidney.

Nestin is considered a marker of neurogenic and myogenic precursor cells. Its arrangement is regulated by cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5), which is expressed in murine podocytes. We investigated nestin expression in human adult and fetal kidney as well as CDK5 presence in adult human podocytes.

Intercellular junctions in oral epithelial cells: ultrastructural and immunological aspects.

The activation of the molecular cascade leading to Ca++ -induced differentiation in cultured epithelial cells might be provided by the establishment of intercellular junctions between cells. In the present paper, we tested the hypothesis that Ca++ concentration would determine morphological and biochemical changes in intercellular junctions of cultured human gingival cells. Triplicate samples of monolayer cultures of human oral gingival cells were grown with two different Ca++ concentrations (0.

Cytokeratin changes in cell culture systems of epithelial cells isolated from oral mucosa: a short review.

In the past three decades, many studies have analyzed ultrastructural and molecular markers of differentiation in squamous stratified epithelial tissues. In these tissues, epithelial cells migrating from the basal layer to the upper layers undergo drastic changes, which involve membrane-associated proteins, DNA synthesis, phenotypic aspects, lipid composition, and cytoskeletal components. Cytoskeletal components include a large and heterogeneous group, including intermediate filaments, components of the cornified envelope, and of the stratum corneum.

Immunological and ultrastructural characterization of plasma cells of human periapical chronic inflammatory lesions (granulomas).

Despite many studies on the topic, plasma cells found in human periapical chronic inflammatory lesions (granulomas) continue to present unresolved issues. In this study, we tried to assess quantitatively and qualitatively the nature of plasma cells of 4 human periapical granulomas. Samples were analyzed for relative amounts of IgG-, IgM-, IgA-, and IgE-positive plasma cells by immunohistochemistry, and for morphological changes by transmission electron microscopy (TEM).

Rabbit tonsil-associated M-cells express cytokeratin 20 and take up particulate antigen.

M-cells are believed to play a pivotal role in initiation of the immune response. These cells, located in the epithelia that overlie mucosal lymphoid follicles, are responsible for the active uptake of particulate antigens and for their translocation to the underlying lymphoid tissue. The identification of reliable markers for M-cells is therefore extremely important for the study of the initial steps that lead to the immune response.

Influence of amalgam fillings on Hg levels and total antioxidant activity in plasma of healthy donors.

In order to evaluate the influence of specific factors on mercury (P-Hg) levels and antioxidant power (P-FRAP) in human plasma, 26 healthy donors were examined by a dentist, their plasma analyzed for Hg by atomic absorption spectrometry and for total antioxidant activity by FRAP method. Hg plasma concentration was found to be correlated with the number of amalgam fillings, suggesting that Hg released from fillings is a source of Hg in non-occupational exposed subjects. P-FRAP correlated negatively with P-Hg suggesting a pro-oxidant role of the Hg released from amalgam fillings.

Nestin expression in rat adrenal gland.

The constituents of the intermediate filament network of adrenal gland cells have not been deeply investigated in vivo. Adrenocortical cells have been reported to express cytokeratins and vimentin, but the intermediate filament components of the adrenomedullary cells are still unknown. Nestin is an intermediate filament protein that is mainly expressed in the developing nervous and muscle systems.