title: Human salivary gland morphogenesis: myoepithelial cell maturation assessed by immunohistochemical markers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Myoepithelial cells are important components of salivary gland structure, aiding the expulsion of saliva from acinar lobules. The aim was to evaluate the expression of smooth muscle actin (SMA), calponin, caldesmon, CD10, CD29, S100 protein, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and p63 in myoepithelial cells during salivary gland morphogenesis to understand the maturation process of these cells and their possible use in the diagnosis of salivary gland lesions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Major and minor human salivary glands at various stages of development, derived from fetuses at 8-26 weeks of gestation, were studied immunohistochemically. Fully developed salivary glands were used as controls. The protein p63 was present in all stages of salivary gland morphogenesis from initial bud to terminal bud stage. CD29, S100 and calponin were detected increasingly as salivary gland structure matured and in fully developed salivary gland. Proteins GFAP, CD10 and caldesmon were not observed in myoepithelial cells of salivary glands.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The proteins SMA, calponin, CD29, S100 and p63, which are present from the earliest stages of salivary gland maturation, are valuable myoepithelial markers but, although very specific, are not exclusive markers for this cell type.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Pathology, Hospital A.C. Camargo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Renata Fraga
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Ianez
authors.forename: Marcilei E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Buim
authors.forename: Claudia M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Coutinho-Camillo
authors.forename: Regina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schultz
authors.forename: Fernando A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.forename: Silvia Vanessa
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Lourenço
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005333:Fetus / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D019012:Integrin beta1 / Q000378:metabolism; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000166:cytology* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D015415:Biomarkers; C081876:CKAP4 protein, human; D019012:Integrin beta1; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009418:S100 Proteins