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Basket and basal-duct cells in domestic animals: different cytokeratin expression and shape
Insights
This study reveals cytokeratin (CK) expression in basket cells (BCs) and basal-duct cells (BDCs) across domestic animals. CK profiles differentiate these cells in most species, except rabbits, where they appear identical.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Anatomy
- Epithelial Cell Biology
- Immunohistochemistry
Background:
- Cytokeratins (CKs) are intermediate filament proteins crucial for epithelial cell identification.
- Basket cells (BCs) and basal-duct cells (BDCs) are key cell types in mammary and salivary glands.
- Understanding their CK expression aids in differentiating cell types and species-specific characteristics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate and compare the cytokeratin expression patterns of BCs and BDCs in mammary and salivary glands of domestic animals (cows, sheep, pigs, rabbits).
- To determine if BCs and BDCs represent the same or different cell types based on their CK profiles and morphology.
- To identify potential species-specific CK markers for the basket/basal cell system.
Main Methods:
- Immunofluorescence staining of frozen mammary and salivary gland sections from cows, sheep, pigs, and rabbits.
- Utilized monoclonal antibodies targeting human CKs 17, 14, 13, and 7.
- Evaluated CK expression and cell morphology (shape, immunoreactivity) in BCs and BDCs.
Main Results:
- CK 17 was detected only in rabbit BCs and BDCs.
- CK 14 was present in BCs and BDCs of cows, sheep, and pigs (except bovine salivary BCs).
- CK 13 was found in BCs and BDCs of all mammary glands and rabbit salivary glands; in other species, only BDCs showed CK 13.
- CK 7 results were unreliable across all species and cell types.
- In rabbits, BDCs were basket-like, suggesting BCs and BDCs are the same cell type.
- In other species, BDCs were triangular and sometimes expressed additional CKs, indicating they are distinct from BCs.
- Antibody CKB1 (sheep, pig) and KS-1A3 (rabbit) showed potential as markers for the basket/basal system.
Conclusions:
- CK expression patterns in BCs and BDCs vary significantly among domestic animal species and gland types.
- Morphological and CK profile differences suggest BCs and BDCs are distinct cell types in cows, sheep, and pigs.
- In rabbits, similar morphology and CK expression indicate BCs and BDCs may be the same cell type.
- Specific CK antibodies (CKB1, KS-1A3) show promise as markers for the basket/basal cell system in certain species.
Abstract:
Cytokeratins (CKs) are a multigenic family of proteins constituting intermediate filaments in epithelia, indicated in humans by the numbers 1-20. Different cell-types can be immunocytochemically identified on the grounds of their CK expression. This investigation was designed to study CK expression of basket cells (BCs) and basal-duct cells (BDCs) in some domestic animals. Frozen sections of mammary and major salivary glands from cows, sheep, pigs and rabbits were treated using the immunofluorescent method, using as monoclonal antibodies clones CK-E3, CKB1, KS-1A3, and LDS-68, respectively, revealing the human CKs 17, 14, 13, 7. BCs surrounding acini and BDCs were stained by CK 17 antibody only in the rabbit. CK 14 was detectable in both cell types in cows, sheep and pigs, except in the case of bovine salivary BCs. CK 13 was revealed in BCs and BDCs of all mammary glands and also rabbit salivary glands. In the salivary glands of the other species, only BDCs were stained. CK 7 gave unreliable results in all the species and cell types examined. Interestingly, in the rabbit, also BDCs are basket-like in shape. The antibodies employed showed different staining depending on species and gland. On the grounds of immunoreactivity and shape, BCs and BDCs can be considered the same cell type in the rabbit. In the other species, they appear to be different, since BDCs may express additional CKs and are triangular-shaped, whereas BCs are truly basket-like. It is worth noting that clone KS-1A3 in the rabbit and CKB1 in the sheep and pig can be considered markers of the basket/ basal system.