We studied by immunocytochemistry the expression of NCAM in human carotid bodies, sampled at autopsy from 16 adult subjects (mean age +/- SD: 44.3 +/- 3.4 years). No NCAM immunoreactivity was visible in type II cells. An high percentage (78.3 +/- 7.2%) of type I cells showed positive anti-NCAM immunoreaction. Statistically significant differences were not found in anti-NCAM immunostaining of light and dark cells (80.2 +/- 6.2% vs 74.7 +/- 13.4%, P>0.05). The high expression level of NCAM in the carotid body indicates a role in regulating adhesion between type I cells. The ascertained role of NCAM in neural mechanisms of differentiation, survival and cell plasticity suggests a possible involvement in the development/differentiation process of the carotid body and in determining cellular/molecular changes due to chronic hypoxia.
Neural cell adhesion molecule expression in the human carotid body.
PORZIONATO, ANDREA;MACCHI, VERONICA;PARENTI, ANNA ROSITA;DE CARO, RAFFAELE
2008
Abstract
We studied by immunocytochemistry the expression of NCAM in human carotid bodies, sampled at autopsy from 16 adult subjects (mean age +/- SD: 44.3 +/- 3.4 years). No NCAM immunoreactivity was visible in type II cells. An high percentage (78.3 +/- 7.2%) of type I cells showed positive anti-NCAM immunoreaction. Statistically significant differences were not found in anti-NCAM immunostaining of light and dark cells (80.2 +/- 6.2% vs 74.7 +/- 13.4%, P>0.05). The high expression level of NCAM in the carotid body indicates a role in regulating adhesion between type I cells. The ascertained role of NCAM in neural mechanisms of differentiation, survival and cell plasticity suggests a possible involvement in the development/differentiation process of the carotid body and in determining cellular/molecular changes due to chronic hypoxia.Pubblicazioni consigliate
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