title: Peg-and-socket junctions between smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells in femoral veins are stimulated to angiogenesis by prostaglandin E₂ and glycerols.
abstract: The administration of prostaglandin (PG) E2, triacetylglycerol and glycerol induce the formation of numerous vascular buds arising from the femoral vein, as previously demonstrated by our group. In the present study, a great number of peg-and-socket junctions (PSJs) between smooth muscle cells (SMCs) (providing the pegs) and ECs (forming the sockets) were demonstrated. At the first stage, days 1 to 3, PSJs connect subendothelial penetrating processes from activated SMCs with activated ECs of the intima. Subsequently, during angiogenesis (days 4 to 6), SMCs, showing transitional aspects with pericytes, also form PSJs with intimal ECs, but also new PSJs between SMCs and sprouting ECs in the media layer were now observed. Immunohistochemically, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and H-caldesmon are positive in the cytoplasm of the SMCs, showing a higher expression in pegs. Desmin, however, although it is also positive in the cytoplasm of the SMCs, is negative in the pegs. The expression of CD34 in ECs reveals abundant positive folding that appears to correspond to the sockets. The peculiar expression of caldesmon, whose isoforms may contribute to the regulation of cell motility, and to vasculogenesis and angiogenesis, may have a role in the different mechanisms by which PSJs act in the vein wall.
authors: Department of Anatomy, Pathology, Histology and Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain.
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Díaz-Flores
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Gutiérrez
authors: J F
authors: JF
authors: Madrid
authors: F J
authors: FJ
authors: Sáez
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Valladares
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Villar
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Díaz-Flores
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000818:Animals; D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002148:Calmodulin-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002465:Cell Movement; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000378:metabolism*; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D005268:Femoral Vein / Q000378:metabolism*; D005990:Glycerol / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000378:metabolism; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000378:metabolism*; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D018952:Antigens, CD34; D002148:Calmodulin-Binding Proteins; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D015232:Dinoprostone; D005990:Glycerol