Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
4
pubmed:dateCreated
2001-9-11
pubmed:abstractText
The human mesonephros is currently regarded as a simplified version of the foetal metanephros, primarily due to the close morphological resemblance between these two structures. The aim of the present study was to define whether human mesonephric and foetal metanephric nephrons share immunophenotypical traits in their corresponding structures (glomeruli, proximal and distal tubules). For this purpose we first investigated immunohistochemically the overall expression and topographical distribution of cytokeratins 7, 8, 18, 19, and 20, vimentin and alpha-smooth muscle actin in mature mesonephric nephrons and compared the results with those obtained in maturing-stage foetal metanephric nephrons. No expression of cytokeratins 7 and 20 was found. Cytokeratins 8, 18, and 19 and vimentin showed a restricted and basically coincident expression along the different components of both mesonephric and metanephric nephrons. These findings indicate that the intermediate filament protein profile of human mature mesonephric nephrons closely recapitulates that observed in developing metanephros and thereby strengthens the concept that human mesonephros, a transient ontogenic structure, is largely similar to the foetal metanephros. The sole difference between human mesonephros and foetal metanephros was the divergent expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin. This protein exhibited an increasingly accentuated mesangial expression paralleling the morphological maturation of metanephric glomerulus, whereas it was absent from the mesonephric one. This would suggest that the mesangial cells in these two renal structures have a different function during the foetal life.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Apr
pubmed:issn
0018-2214
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
33
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
221-6
pubmed:dateRevised
2006-11-15
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2001
pubmed:articleTitle
Comparative immunohistochemical analysis of the expression of cytokeratins, vimentin and alpha-smooth muscle actin in human foetal mesonephros and metanephros.
pubmed:affiliation
Institute of Anatomic Pathology, University of Catania, Italy.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Comparative Study