Summary
Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) has been localised by immunostaining to granules of the convoluted duct cells of the submaxillary glands of mice. Improved techniques of freeze drying and formaldehyde vapour fixation have resulted in a light microscopical localisation sharper than was achieved by previous methods. EGF has also been identified by electron immunocytochemistry using the unlabelled antibody enzyme method. EGF is present in greater quantities in male mice than in female mice but in pregnant females the level of EGF in the submaxillary gland is equal to that of the male. It declines gradually during the three weeks of lactation. In view of the chemical similarity between mouse EGF and human Urogastrone these improved methods of identification may be useful in the localisation of the human substance.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ances, I.G.: Serum concentrations of epidermal growth factor in human pregnancy. Amer. J. Obstet. Gynec. 115, 357–362 (1973)
Baldi, A., Charreau, E.H.: 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity in rat submaxillary gland. Its relation to sex and age. Endocrinology 90, 1643–1646 (1972)
Bhoola, K.D., Dorey, G., Jones, C.W.: The influence of androgens on enzymes (chymotrypsin- and trypsin-like proteases, renin, kallikrein and amylase) and on cellular structure of the mouse submaxillary gland. J. Physiol. 235, 503–522 (1973)
Bussolati, G., Bassa, T.: Thiosulfation aldehyde fuchsin (TAF) procedure for the staining of pancreatic B cells. Stain Technol. 49, 313–315 (1974)
Carpenter, G., Cohen, S.: Human epidermal growth factor and the proliferation of human fibroblasts. J. Cell Physiol. 88, 227–238 (1976)
Cohen, S.: Purification of a nerve growth promoting protein from the mouse salivary gland and its neurocytotoxic antiserum. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 46, 302–311 (1960)
Cohen, S.: Isolation of a mouse submaxillary gland protein accelerating incisor eruption and eyelid opening in the newborn animal. J. Biol. Chem. 237, 1555–1562 (1962)
Cohen, S., Carpenter, G.: Human epidermal growth factor: Isolation and chamical and biological properties. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 72, 1317–1321 (1975)
Cohen, S., Savage, C.R. Jr.: Recent studies on the chemistry and biology of epidermal growth factor. Rec. Prog. Horm. Res. 30, 551–574 (1974)
Cohen, S., Taylor, J.M.: Epidermal growth factor: Chemical and biological characterization. Rec. Prog. Horm. Res. 30, 533–550 (1974)
Elder, J.B.: Personal communication. 1976
Glenner, G.G., Lillie, R.D.: Observations on the diazotization-coupling reaction for the histochemical demonstration of tyrosine: metal chelation and formazan variants. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 7, 416–422 (1959)
Gregory, H.: Isolation and structure of urogastrone and its relationship to epidermal growth factor. Nature 257, 325–327 (1975)
Hendry, I.A., Iversen, L.L.: Reduction in the concentration of nerve growth factor in mice after sialectomy and castration. Nature 243, 500–505 (1973)
Lane, B.P., Europa, D.L.: Differential staining of ultrathin sections of epon-embedded tissues for light microscopy. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 13, 579–582 (1965)
Pearse, A.G.E., Polak, J.M.: Bifunctional reagents as vapour- and liquidphase fixatives for immunohistochemistry. Histochem. J. 7, 179–186 (1975)
Polak, J.M., Bussolati, G., Pearse, A.G.E.: Cytochemical, immunofluorescence and ultrastructural investigations on the antral G cells in hyperparathyroidism. Virchows Arch. Abt. B. Zellpath. 9, 187–197 (1971)
Savage, C.R. Jr., Inagami, T., Cohen, S.: The primary structure of epidermal growth factor. J. Biol. Chem. 247, 7612–7621 (1972)
Schwab, M.E., Stöckel, K., Thoenen, H.: Immunocytochemical localization of nerve growth factor (NGF) in the submandibular gland of adult mice by light and electron microscopy. Cell Tiss. Res. 169, 289–299 (1976)
Sternberger, L.: Immunocytochemistry. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall 1974
Taylor, J.M., Cohen, S., Mitchell, W.M.: Epidermal growth factor: High and low molecular weight forms. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 67, 164–171 (1970)
Turkington, R.W., Males, J.L., Cohen, S.: Synthesis and storage of epithelial-epidermal growth factor in submaxillary gland. Cancer Res. 31, 252–256 (1971)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Van Noorden, S., Heitz, P., Kasper, M. et al. Mouse epidermal growth factor: Light and electron microscopical localisation by immunocytochemical staining. Histochemistry 52, 329–340 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00508405
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00508405