CONICET | Buscador de Institutos y Recursos Humanos

The spatial organization of cells during tissue differentiation is a crucial process in the morphogenesis of vertebrates. This process involves the movement, separation, and connection of cells. It is essential to elucidate the molecular mechanisms involved in these processes for the understanding of animal morphogenesis. Cell-cell adhesion molecules, called cadherins, are involved in the selective adhesion of cells. In the case of birds, the expression of these molecules in various organ systems during embryonic development has been reported in Gallus gallus domesticus. In this work, we present the immunohistochemical analysis of the differential expression of E and N-cadherin binding molecules in Columba livia embryos at various stages of gonadal morphogenesis. The expression of E and N-cadherin in embryos corresponding to the stages 41, 43 and in neonates of 2, 5, 7 and 75 post-hatching days were assessed by immunohistochemistry. Results revealed the expression of N-cadherin in the plasma membrane and the perinuclear zone of germline cells in ovaries and testes. However, the expression of E-cadherin was noticed with similar immunoreactivity pattern, in Sertoli cells and in the cells of the follicular nests. The differential expression of follicular cells and Sertoli cells positive for E-cadherin and germline cell N-cadherin positive cells were evidenced in the present work at the cell-cell interaction level. Future studies will focus on determining the expression of E and N-cadherin molecules during the migration of the primordial germ cells and the colonization of the genital ridge.