title: Immunohistochemical localization of three different immunoglobulin classes in the Harderian gland of young chickens.
abstract: The chicken Harderian gland (HG) was investigated using single immunohistochemical staining for one of the three different immunoglobulins (Igs) followed by Alcian blue/periodic acid Schiff (AB/PAS) staining and triple immunohistochemical staining for all of the Igs with hot water treatment. In the HG of 5-week-old chickens, IgG-containing plasma cells were more frequent than IgA- and IgM-containing cells. These numerous IgG-containing cells were predominantly accumulated in the central region of the stroma, whereas a small number of IgA- and IgM-containing cells were scattered in the peripheral region of the stroma. Also, the plasma cells containing PAS-positive Russell bodies (RBs) exhibited distinct immunoreactivity for one of the Igs, being inversely proportional to the intensity of PAS reaction. The RB-containing cells positive for IgA were more frequent than those positive for IgM, whereas those positive for IgG were very rare. The most distinct feature of the IgG-containing plasma cells was a PAS-positive globule located close to the nucleus. Triple immunostaining with hot water treatment simultaneously identified these three Igs in normal plasma cells and RB-containing ones in the stroma of the chicken HG.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Functional Anatomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Shinshu University, Minamiminowa-mura, Nagano-ken 399-4598, Japan. ohshima@gipmc.shinshu-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohshima
authors.forename: Kohzy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hiramatsu
mesh_terms: D000423:Alcian Blue; D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens / Q000276:immunology*; D006243:Harderian Gland / Q000276:immunology*; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000032:analysis*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry
chemical_list: D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D000423:Alcian Blue