ISSN:
1432-119X
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Medicine
Notes:
Abstract Paraffin sections were obtained of human fetal, adult, and pathological lung (pulmonary fibrosis after radiotherapy or chemotherapy). The localization of epithelial adhesion molecules E-cadherin and Ep-CAM (former epithelial surface 40 kDa glycoprotein) was investigated by immunoperoxidase and/or immunofluorescence techniques with monoclonal antibodies. During development, the epithelia of the primary pulmonary primordium, the secondary bronchi and the adult bronchial epithelium retained immunoreactivity for E-cadherin and Ep-CAM with lateral immunostaining of cell membranes. In normal adult lungs, Ep-CAM was detected in type I and II alveolar epithelial cells, whereas E-cadherin was confined to the basolateral domain of type II cells. In pulmonary fibrosis, Ep-CAM could be further detected on the cell surface of epithelial remnants. In contrast, E-cadherin expression was characterized by a change of the membrane localization to a spotty, cytoplasmic pattern in the alveolar epithelium, possibly indicating functional inactivation of the protein during fibrogenesis.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF01457412
