title: Immunohistochemical study of the lymphatic vessels in major salivary glands of the rat.
abstract: This study was designed to examine whether lymphatic vessels are present in the lobules of major salivary glands in the rat. Immunostaining with an antibody against podoplanin, a lymphatic endothelial cell marker, was performed on sections of the submandibular, sublingual and parotid glands. Light microscopy demonstrated podoplanin-positive lymphatic vessels around the interlobular ducts and the interlobular arteries and veins in the interlobular connective tissue in all of the major salivary glands. No podoplanin-positive lymphatic vessels were found in the lobules. Electron microscopy also demonstrated lymphatic endothelial cells showing podoplanin expression only in the interlobular connective tissue. These findings suggest that the lymphatic system of the rat major salivary glands originates in the interlobular connective tissue, and not in the lobules.
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology, School of Life Dentistry at Tokyo, The Nippon Dental University, 1-9-20 Fujimi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8159, Japan. s-aichan@tokyo.ndu.ac.jp
authors.forename: Shigeo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aiyama
authors.forename: Kenichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kikuchi
authors.forename: Kiyomi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takada
authors.forename: Rie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.forename: Sumie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Jyunya
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kuroki
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D003239:Connective Tissue Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D042601:Lymphatic Vessels / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D023421:Models, Animal; D010306:Parotid Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013361:Sublingual Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013363:Submandibular Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000098853:Podoplanin
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015415:Biomarkers; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; C092025:Pdpn protein, rat; D000098853:Podoplanin