title: Three-dimensional surface structure of macrophages in fetal and adult mouse liver: an immunohistochemical light microscopic study.
abstract: Using 100-microm-thick paraffin sections stained by F4/80 antibody, the three-dimensional surface morphology of macrophages in fetal and adult livers was examined by conventional light microscope equipped with a computer-controlled z-axis stepping motor. Hematopoietic macrophages in fetal livers were located in the center of erythroid cell clusters, forming cell sockets which consisted of two different kinds of projections. The primary cytoplasmic processes were membranous projections and the secondary processes were finger-like projections extending from the primary processes. Erythroids in the cell sockets were linearly arranged on the macrophage surface. Adult sinusoidal macrophages possessed a few pseudopod-like processes, ridge-like profiles and numerous ruffle or spike-like processes, and cell contact with neighboring macrophages could be recognized. Compared to confocal laser scanning microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, this study provided information about cell surface structures at reasonably low cost, although the resolution was limited in z axis due to the stepping interval.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Kawasaki Medical School, Kurashiki, Japan. ysonoda@med.kawasaki-m.ac.jp
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sonoda
authors.forename: Kazunobu
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sasaki
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology* / Q000196:embryology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000166:cytology*; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D012984:Software