Summary
Immunomorphological methods were used to localize adenosine deaminase in tissues of the rat at different stages of ontogeny. In the thymus, lymphocytes began to express significant amounts of the enzyme with the appearance of demarcation between the cortex and medulla at 17 days of gestation. At any stage of ontogeny studied, strong adenosine deaminase staining was seen predominantly in cortical thymocytes. In the spleen and lymph node, the enzyme was initially detected in T cell areas, whereas primary follicles did not show positive adenosine deaminase staining. During further development, the enzyme was demonstrated in some lymphocytes of germinal centres and plasma cells. In the duodenum, epithelial cells of villi and the neck of crypts showed positive adenosine deaminase staining whereas no staining for the enzyme was observed in the epithelial cells of the base of crypts. Strongly positive staining for adenosine deaminase appeared in plasma cells of the lamina propria by four weeks after birth. The transient positive reaction for the deaminase could be recognized in epithelial cells of tubules of the kidney during late foetal and early postnatal development. The tubules of adult rats did not stain for the enzyme. In the cartilage of 15-day foetuses, positive adenosine deaminase staining was seen only in perichondrial cells and hypertrophic cells. Kuppfer cells in the liver and endothelial cells of blood vessels stained positively for the enzyme at every stage of ontogeny studied.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Barton, R. (1982) Expression of adenosine deaminase and purine nucleoside phosphorilase isozymes in lymphopoietic precursor cells and normal and neoplastic lymphoid populations.Cell. Immun. 73, 207–15.
Barton, R., Martiniuk, F., Hirschhorn, R. &Goldschneider, I. (1979) The distribution of adenosine deaminase among lymphocyte populations in the rat.J. Immun. 122, 216–20.
Cederbaum, S. D., Kaitila, I., Rimoin, D. L. &Steihm, E. R. (1976) The chondro-osseous dysplasia of adenosine deaminase deficiency with severe combined immunodeficiency.J. Pediat. 89, 737–42.
Chechik, B. E., Baumal, R. &Sengupta, S. (1983) Localization and identity of adenosine deaminase-positive cells in tissues of the young rat and calf.Histochem. J. 15, 373–87.
Chechik, B. E., Schrader, W. P. &Minowada, J. (1981) An immunomorphologic study of adenosine deaminase distribution in human thymus tissue, normal lymphocytes and hematopoietic cell lines.J. Immun. 126, 1003–7.
Chechik, B. E., Schrader, W. P., Perets, A. &Fernandes, B. (1984) Immunohistochemical localization of adenosine deaminase in human benign extrathymic tissues and B-cell lymphomas.Cancer 53, 70–78.
Chechik, B. E. &Sengupta, S. (1981) Detection of human, rat and mouse adenosine deaminase by immunochemical and immunomorphologic methods using antiserum to calf enzyme.J. Immun. Meth. 45, 165–76.
Fischer, D., Van Der Weyden, M. B., Snyderman, R. &Kelley, W. N. (1976) A role for adenosine deaminase in human monocyte maturation.J. clin. Invest. 58, 399–407.
Fox, I. H. &Kelley, W. N. (1978) The role of adenosine and 2′-deoxyadenosine in mammalian cells.Ann. Rev. Biochem. 47, 655–86.
Giblett, E. R., Anderson, J. E., Cohen, F., Pollara, B. &Meuwissen, H. J. (1972) Adenosine deaminase deficiency in two patients with severely impaired cellular immunity.Lancet 2, 1067–9.
Hirschorn, R. (1979) Clinical delineation of adenosine deaminase deficiency.Ciba Found. Symp. 68, 35–49.
Hoang, T. &Bergeron, M. (1983) Adenosine deaminase in renal ontogeny and compensatory hypertrophy in the rat.Cell Tiss. Kinet. 16, 59–64.
Immondi, A. R., Balis, M. E. &Lipkin, M. (1969) Changes in enzyme levels accompanying differentiation of intestinal epithelial cells.Exp Cell Res. 58, 323–30.
Kadish, J. L. &Basch, R. E. (1976) Hematopoietic thymocyte precursors. I. Assay and kinetics of the appearance of progeny.J. exp. Med. 143, 1082–99.
Meuwissen, H. J., Pollara, B. &Pickering, R. J. (1975) Combined immunodeficiency disease associated with adenosine deaminase deficiency.J. Pediat. 86, 169–81.
Peters, G. J., Oosterhof, A. &Veerkamp, J. H. (1982) Age-dependency of adenosine deaminase and purine nucleoside phosphorilase activities in rat spleen and thymus.Biol. Neonate 42, 195–200.
Ritter, M. A., Gordon, L. K. &Goldschneider, I. (1978) Distribution and identity of Thy-l-bearing cells during ontogeny in rat hematopoietic and lymphoid tissues.J. Immun. 121, 2463–71.
Trotta, P. P., Tedde, A., Ikehara, S., Pahwa, R., Good, R. A. &Balis, M. E. (1981) Specific immunosuppressive effects of constant infusion of 2′-deoxycoformycin.Cancer Res. 41, 2189–96.
Weissman, I. (1973) Thymus cell maturation. Studies on the origin of cortisone-resistant thymic lymphocytes.J. exp. Med. 137, 504–10.
Yeung, Ch., Riser, M. E., Kellems, R. E. &Siciliano, M. J. (1983) Increased expression of one of two adenosine deaminase alleles in a human choriocarcinoma cell line following selection with adenine nucleosides.J. biol. Chem. 258, 8330–7.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Chechik, B.E., Sengupta, S., Hibi, T. et al. Immunomorphological localization of adenosine deaminase in rat tissues during ontogeny. Histochem J 17, 153–170 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01003215
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01003215