Immunohistochemical evidence of Muc1 expression during rat embryonic development

LACUNZA EZEQUIEL; FERRETTI VALERIA; BARBEITO CLAUDIO G; SEGAL-EIRAS AMADA; CROCCE MARIA V

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF HISTOCHEMISTRY

SOC ITALIANA ISTOCHIMICA

Lugar: Pavia; Año: 2010 vol. 54 p. 231 - 236

1121-760X

AbDusrtirnag cetm bryonic development, studies onmouse and human embryos have establishedthat Muc1/MUC1 expression coincides withthe onset of epithelial sheet and glandular formation.This study aimed therefore at evaluatingthe temporal and spatial expression ofMuc1 at different stages of rat development. Inthis report, 80 animals were included: 64 ratfoetuses at 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20 daysof gestation from pregnant females(WKAH/Hok), 8 embryos each stage. Standardimmunohistochemistry was performed usinganti-MUC1 cytoplasmic tail polyclonal antibody(CT33). The reaction was considered positivewhen more than 5% of the cells were stained;reaction patterns were: L = linear, membrane,C = cytoplasmic and M = mixed; nuclear stainingwas also recorded. Intensity was graded asnegative (-), low (+), moderate (++) andstrong (+++). Muc1 expression was observedwith a low intensity on 13th day (13 D) in thestomach, lung and kidney; at 14 d, small intestineand pancreas were also reactive; at 16 D,liver and esophagus and at 18 D, trachea andsalivary glands. During the development,intensity increased while the pattern ofexpression changed: at the first days of gestation,it was predominantly linear and apicalwhile during further development an increasein cytoplasmic expression was observed.Trachea, stomach, kidney and lung epitheliawere the more reactive tissues. In specimensbelonging to neonates and adults, all tissuesanalyzed showed similar Muc1 expression.The findings of this study assess that Muc1 ishighly expressed in the epithelial rat embryonicdevelopment.