In vivo growth and differentiation potential of tracheal basal cells of rabbits in vitamin A deficiency.
The growth and differentiation potential of rabbit tracheal basal cells were investigated in vitamin A deficient mice. Denuded rat tracheal grafts were xenotransplanted into nude mice made vitamin A deficient by feeding them retinol-free pellets from mid-gestation. Rabbit tracheal epithelial cells harvested enzymatically or cells derived from a basal-cell-rich fraction obtained by elutriation (purity 93.3%) had previously been inoculated into the grafts (n = 8, each). The grafts were implanted into the vitamin A deficient or control mice aged about 10 weeks. Four weeks later, the grafts were retrieved for histological examination. The graft epithelium established by either basal cells or un-fractionated cells in vitamin A deficient hosts (groups 1 and 2, respectively) was atrophic, whereas grafts repopulated with both cell types in the controls had pseudostratified columnar epithelium. Group 1 and 2 grafts both showed squamous metaplasia; 10 metaplastic foci in 32 tracheal rings in group 1 (P < 0.02 or 0.002, compared with values for group 2 or controls, respectively), and 2 foci in 35 rings in group 2 (no statistical difference compared with controls). In conclusion, during vitamin A deficiency, rabbit tracheal epithelial cells, including the progeny of highly-purified basal cells, lost their potential for establishing a mucociliary epithelium and rather appeared to undergo squamous metaplasia.
Inayama
Y
Y
Department of Pathology, Yokohama City University School of Medicine, Japan.
Kitamura
H
H
Shibagaki
T
T
Usuda
Y
Y
Ito
T
T
Nakatani
Y
Y
Kanisawa
M
M
D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D004848:Epithelium / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008679:Metaplasia / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008819:Mice, Nude; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology; D014132:Trachea / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000637:transplantation; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*
D014801:Vitamin A