title: Telocytes in liver: electron microscopic and immunofluorescent evidence.
abstract: Hepatic interstitial cells play a vital role in regulating essential biological processes of the liver. Telocytes (TCs), a novel type of interstitial cells firstly identified by Popescu and his coworkers, have been reported in many tissues and organs, but not yet in liver (go to http://www.telocytes.com). We used transmission electron microscopy and immunofluorescence (double labelling for CD34 and c-kit/CD117, or vimentin, or PDGF Receptor-α, or β) to provide evidence for the existence of TCs in mice liver. The distribution of TCs in liver was found to be of similar density in the four hepatic lobes. In conclusion, here we show the presence of TCs in mice liver. It remains to be determined the possible roles of TCs in the control of liver homeostasis and regeneration, the more so as a close special relationship was found between TCs and hepatic putative stem (progenitor) cells.
authors.affiliation: Regeneration Lab and Experimental Center of Life Sciences, School of Life Science, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China; Innovative Drug Research Center, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Junjie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhenguo
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Changqing
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000378:metabolism; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D056885:Interstitial Cells of Cajal / Q000166:cytology* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / Q000378:metabolism; D020796:Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D014746:Vimentin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018952:Antigens, CD34; D014746:Vimentin; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit; D020796:Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor alpha
keywords: CD34; PDGFR-α, β; c-kit; hepatic putative stem cells; liver; telocytes; telopodes; vimentin