Ayako Nakamura-Ishizu
Department School of Medicine, School of Medicine Position Professor and Division head |
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Article types | Original article |
Language | English |
Peer review | Peer reviewed |
Title | Characterization of sinusoidal endothelial cells of the liver and bone marrow using an intravital lectin injection method. |
Journal | Formal name:Journal of molecular histology Abbreviation:J Mol Histol ISSN code:15672379/15672379 |
Domestic / Foregin | Foregin |
Volume, Issue, Page | 39(5),pp.471-9 |
Author and coauthor | Nakamura-Ishizu Ayako, Morikawa Shunichi, Shimizu Kazuhiko, Ezaki Taichi |
Publication date | 2008/10 |
Summary | The vascular endothelia express a variety of structural and biological phenotypes. We used an intravital injection method of plant derived lectins (Lycopersicon esculentum lectin (LEL), Ricinus communis Agglutinin-I (RCA-I), Ulex europaeus Agglutinin-I (UEA-I) and Concanavalin A (ConA)) to elucidate the morphology and function of the sinusoidal endothelium of the liver and bone marrow. All four lectins stained the sinusoidal endothelia of the liver and bone marrow in a patchy granular pattern which differed from the uniform and smooth staining pattern of non-sinusoidal vessels in other organs. By transmission electron microscopy, the granular pattern was identified as internalization of these lectins and subsequent accumulation within the endothelial cells, suggesting their active endocytosis. The endocytosis of these lectins emphasizes the fact that sinusoidal endothelial cells of the liver and bone marrow belong to the reticuloendothelial system (RES), a cell system characterized by internalization of foreign material. We introduce this intravital lectin injection as a useful technique to discriminate sinusoidal endothelial of the liver and bone marrow from other vascular endothelia. |
DOI | 10.1007/s10735-008-9186-x |
PMID | 18751902 |