Vomeronasal epithelial cells of the adult human express neuron-specific molecules.
Immunohistochemical localization of three molecular markers, neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and protein gene product (PGP) 9.5 for neurons and neuroendocrine cells, and olfactory marker protein (OMP) for olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) was investigated in the vomeronasal epithelium (VNE) of adult humans. NSE- and PGP 9.5-immunoreactive cells were identified in the VNE. ORNs in the olfactory epithelium of approximately age-matched controls were immunoreactive for the three markers. Most NSE-immunoreactive cells in the VNE were bipolar and similar in shape to the NSE- and PGP 9.5-immunoreactive ORNs. The results indicate that the adult human VNE contains cells expressing two molecular markers characteristic of neurons and that these cells bear a striking morphological similarity to ORNs.
Takami
S
S
Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington 40536.
Getchell
M L
ML
Chen
Y
Y
Monti-Bloch
L
L
Berliner
D L
DL
Stensaas
L J
LJ
Getchell
T V
TV
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000737:chemistry; D004848:Epithelium / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D009300:Nasal Septum / Q000737:chemistry*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D009474:Neurons / Q000737:chemistry*; D051842:Olfactory Marker Protein; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase / Q000032:analysis*; D013869:Thiolester Hydrolases / Q000032:analysis*; D043222:Ubiquitin Thiolesterase
D015415:Biomarkers; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C497597:OMP protein, human; D051842:Olfactory Marker Protein; D013869:Thiolester Hydrolases; D043222:Ubiquitin Thiolesterase; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase