Specific localization of fibroblasts at the intercalated duct in the major salivary glands of rats.

Autor: Onozawa G; Division of Histology, Meikai University School of Dentistry, 1-1 Keyakidai, Sakado, Saitama, 3500283, Japan; Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Meikai University School of Dentistry, 1-1 Keyakidai, Sakado, Saitama, 3500283, Japan., Nagasaka A; Division of Histology, Meikai University School of Dentistry, 1-1 Keyakidai, Sakado, Saitama, 3500283, Japan., Bando Y; Division of Histology, Meikai University School of Dentistry, 1-1 Keyakidai, Sakado, Saitama, 3500283, Japan., Sakiyama K; Division of Anatomy, Meikai University School of Dentistry, 1-1 Keyakidai, Sakado, Saitma, 3500283, Japan., Yamamoto N; Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Meikai University School of Dentistry, 1-1 Keyakidai, Sakado, Saitama, 3500283, Japan., Amano O; Division of Histology, Meikai University School of Dentistry, 1-1 Keyakidai, Sakado, Saitama, 3500283, Japan. Electronic address: oamano@dent.meikai.ac.jp.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Journal of oral biosciences [J Oral Biosci] 2024 Jun; Vol. 66 (2), pp. 456-464. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Feb 19.
DOI: 10.1016/j.job.2024.02.004
Abstrakt: Objectives: Immunohistochemical methods were employed to investigate the morphological heterogeneity and localization of fibroblasts associated with the function of major salivary glands in rats.
Methods: Histochemical and electron microscopic observations were made in rat parotid, submandibular, and sublingual glands and pancreas. Fibroblasts were immunostained using their specific marker, 47 kDa heat shock protein (Hsp47).
Results: Hsp47-immunopositive fibroblasts within the intralobular connective tissue exhibited a notably smaller size compared with the interlobular connective tissue. They were loosely distributed throughout the connective tissue. However, fibroblasts with elongated long processes were explicitly identified at the intercalated ducts in parotid, sublingual, and submandibular glands. Fibroblastic bodies and processes were tightly approximated with the basement membrane of the duct. Electron microscopy confirmed these findings, revealing a thin layer consisting of collagen fibers was found between the fibroblasts and the basement membrane. Double staining of Hsp47 and α-smooth muscle actin (αSMA) in parotid glands indicating that Hsp47-positive fibroblasts enveloped both the duct and αSMA-positive myoepithelial cells. Additionally, They projected long and thin processes longitudinally at the straight portion or circularly at the bifurcated portion of the duct. The three-dimensional reconstruction showed a frame-like structure of fibroblasts surrounding the intercalated duct with longitudinal myoepithelial cells. However, such specific localization of fibroblasts was not detected in the exocrine pancreas lacking myoepithelium.
Conclusions: Small fibroblasts with long processes connecting or overwrapping each other and thin collagen layers surround the intercalated ducts in rat major salivary glands, presumably contributing to protecting the ducts from salivary flow and myoepithelial contraction.
Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
(Copyright © 2024 Japanese Association for Oral Biology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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