title: Light and electron microscopical localization of filagrin-like immunoreactivity in normal and regenerating epidermis of the lizard Podarcis muralis.
abstract: In the stratum granulosum of mammalian epidermis, keratohyalin contains the histidine-rich protein filagrin which determines the aggregation of keratin bundles in terminally differentiating keratinocytes. Among reptiles, the lizard epidermis possesses keratohyalin-like granules during a period preceding molting. Tritiated histidine is taken up at 3-22 h post-injection mainly in keratohyalin-like granules of the clear layer, and less intensely in oberhautchen cells, in pre-keratinizing cells of wound epidermis and in the alpha-layer. No labelling was observed in beta-cells and mesos cells. Single and double immunogold localization of filagrin and keratin, using mammalian antibodies, show that some filagrin-like immunoreactivity is localized in 0.15-0.40 microm diameter roundish keratohyalin-like granules in cells of wound epidermis, and lacunar and clear layers (soft alpha-layers). Pro-filagrin was not immuno-localized in these layers with the mammalian antibodies. The small granules merge with keratin bundles into mature keratinocytes where immunopositive keratin filaments predominate and the filagrin-like immunolabelling rapidly disappears. Little or no labelling is observed in the large keratohyaline-like granules of the clear layer. This may be due to lack of filagrin-like immunoreactivity but may also be due to epitope-masking or chemical degradation of filagrin-like molecules. No immunoreactivity is present in the beta-layer and mesos-layer but the immunolabelling reappears in the maturing alpha-layer and lacunar layer. This study suggests that histidin-rich protein with some filagrin-like immunoreactivity is initially present in those alpha-layers of lizard epidermis where keratohyalin-like granules are present, such as lacunar and clear cells, and that a filagrin-like molecule is degraded or altered in mature keratinocytes.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biologia, University of Bologna, Italy. Alibardi@biblio.cib.unibo.it
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Alibardi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004817:Epidermis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D000939:Epitopes; D000091344:Filaggrin Proteins; D006639:Histidine / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D007633:Keratins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D008116:Lizards; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D051381:Rats; D012038:Regeneration; D013623:Tail / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000939:Epitopes; D000091344:Filaggrin Proteins; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins; C001500:keratohyalin; D006639:Histidine; D007633:Keratins