[Immunohistochemical study of the olfactory mucosa and vomeronasal organ in rat, guinea pig and human fetus].
Immunohistochemical examination for neuron-specific enolase (NSE), S-100 protein and cytokeratin (CK) was performed in the olfactory mucosa and Jacobson's vomeronasal organ of rat, guinea pig and human fetus. The results indicated that: 1) The combined immunohistostaining used in this study made it possible to examine the normal morphology and pathology of the olfactory mucosa; 2) The NSE immunoreactivity was recognized in the Jacobson's vomeronasal organ of the adult rats and guinea pigs. The vomeronasal organ of human fetuses below 5 months showed positive immunoreactivity for NSE, but the NSE immunoreactivity of the vomeronasal organ in fetuses above 7 months was not confirmed. So we conclude that human vomeronasal organ is possibly a regressive organ. It is unlikely to have any olfactory function as it does in rodent animals.
Wang
R
R
PLA General Hospital, Beijing.
Jiang
S
S
Gu
R
R
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007633:Keratins / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D009666:Nose / Q000737:chemistry*; D009831:Olfactory Mucosa / Q000737:chemistry*; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase / Q000032:analysis*; D051381:Rats; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000032:analysis*
D009418:S100 Proteins; D007633:Keratins; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase