Confocal microscopy immunofluorescence localization of desmin and other intermediate filament proteins in fetal rat livers

Abstract

Immunolocalization of desmin in fetal rat livers shows that on day 12 of gestation a high number of liver cells express desmin. This number decreases from day 14 onward. On day 20 about the same density of desmin-containing cells is found in fetal rat livers as is found in adult rat livers. Desmin-containing cells show two types of labeling patterns, especially on days 12 and 13 of gestation: (a) a basketlike network of intermediate filaments throughout the whole cell, similar to the labeling pattern of cytokeratin in hepatocytes; and (b) more strongly labeled intermediate filaments developing long and slender processes between adjacent cells, close to the labeling pattern of Ito cells in adult rats. From day 14 of gestation, the first type becomes rare, and from day 18 only the second type remains. Double-labeling experiments show that coexpression of desmin and cytokeratin is found in cells of the first type on days 12, 13 and 14 of gestation. Cells containing desmin with the labeling pattern of the second type never express cytokeratin. Coexpression of vimentin and cytokeratin is never found in fetal hepatocytes, even on day 12 of gestation. Numerous nonhepatocyte cells coexpress desmin and vimentin, but some cells contain vimentin or desmin alone. In desmin-containing cells the labeling pattern is of the first type (basketlike network). These results suggest that in early stages of fetal liver development, desmin is found in two different types of liver cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Hepatic Stellate Cells: Protean, Multifunctional, and Enigmatic Cells of the Liver

“…Currently, the bulk of evidence supports their originating from either endoderm (300,624,666) or the septum transversum (553) as it forms from cardiac mesenchyme during invagination of the hepatic bud (135,728,733). In support of a septum transversum origin, stellate cells express the mesoderm transcriptional factor Foxf1, which is typically localized to the septum transversum mesenchyme during liver development (280).…”

“…In support of a septum transversum origin, stellate cells express the mesoderm transcriptional factor Foxf1, which is typically localized to the septum transversum mesenchyme during liver development (280). In support of an endoderm origin, on the other hand, it has been suggested that stellate cells and hepatoblasts share a common origin based on the transient coexpression of cytokeratins in both cell types (300,666).…”

Immunohistochemical analysis of development of desmin‐positive hepatic stellate cells in mouse liver

“…Recent studies reported that, in young fetal rat livers, almost all nonhaematopoietic liver cells, including hepatoblasts, transiently coexpressed desmin and cytokeratins, which were used as markers for hepatic stellate cells and hepatoblasts, respectively (Vassy et al 1993 ;Kiassov et al 1995). To verify whether this phenomenon could be observed in the fetal mouse liver, we studied the immunolocalisation of desmin with E-cadherin and cytokeratins at various stages of mouse liver development.…”

“…Recently, some groups reported that at early stages of rat liver development, most nonhaematopoietic cells, including hepatoblasts, had transient coexpression of desmin and epithelial cell-specific cytokeratins in liver (Vassy et al 1993 ;Kiassov et al 1995). Based on these results, they proposed the idea that nonhaematopoietic desmin-positive cells give rise to both hepatocytes and hepatic stellate cells.…”

Human hepatic stellate cell isolation and characterization

“…The embryologic origin of HSCs remains unresolved. Based on expression markers, potential origins of HSCs include endoderm (cytokeratins) [6], or the septum transversum mesenchyme (Foxf1, vimentin) [7], or neural crest (GFAP, synaptophysin, N-CAM) [8] and P75 [9]). However, the neural crest origin has been challenged [10].…”