title: Adrenomedullin immunoreactivity in the human carotid body.
abstract: We studied by immunocytochemistry the expression of AM in human carotid bodies, sampled at autopsy from 16 adult subjects (mean age+/-S.D.: 44.3+/-3.4 years) and from six fetuses (mean gestational age+/-S.D.: 167+/-11 days). No AM immunoreactivity was visible in the type II cells of both series. The percentage of immunoreactive type I cells was higher in the adult subjects (32.3+/-7.7%) with respect to the fetuses (11.8+/-2.7%, P < 0.001). Dark cells showed a higher percentage of positive immunoreaction with respect to light cells, both in adult subjects (61.7+/-13.4% versus 19.2+/-5.2%) and in fetuses (25.3+/-4.4% versus 6.2+/-2.0%). AM may play a role in the regulation of chemoreceptor discharge through paracrine releasing action and/or vasodilator effect. The low expression of AM in fetuses may be ascribed to the absence of pulmonary respiration with lack of regulatory role of the carotid body during the prenatal period.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Anatomy and Physiology, Section of Anatomy, University of Padova, Via A. Gabelli 65, 35121 Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Porzionato
authors.forename: Veronica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Macchi
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sandra Belloni
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Parenti
authors.forename: Raffaele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: De Caro
mesh_terms: D053607:Adrenomedullin / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D002344:Carotid Body / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D015687:Cell Hypoxia / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000276:immunology; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D019899:Paracrine Communication / Q000502:physiology; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000378:metabolism; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D053607:Adrenomedullin