title: Telocytes in the Spleen.
abstract: Telocytes, a novel type of interstitial cells with very long and thin prolongations, have been identified in many organs in mammals. At present, the ultrastructural, immunocytochemical and electrophysiological properties of telocytes in multiple organs have been understood. However, telocytes in spleen, especially their roles in spleen have not been reported. The aim of this study was to investigate the ultrastructure, distribution and immunophenotypes of splenic telocytes. Rat spleen was harvested for the ultrastructure analysis by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The primary culture of telocytes was performed after combined enzymatic digestion. The characteristic morphology was analyzed by a scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was shown that telocytes displayed a piriform/spindle/triangular shape with long and slender telopods and extremely long prolongation contracting with surrounding cells in the spleen. Their dynamic profiles of cytoplasmic separation were recorded by the Live Cell Imaging System. The length of telopods was mostly distributing in 20-30 μm, in accordance with normal distribution. Most telocytes had three or two telopods (28.71% and 22.58% respectively). Immunostaining indicated that these cells were positive for vimentin, CD34, nanog and sca-1, but negative for c-kit. These data prove the existence of telocytes in the spleen, which may serve as the experimental base for exploring their roles in the spleen.
authors.affiliation: Henan Key Laboratory of Medical Tissue Regeneration, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, P.R. China; Department of Human Anatomy and Embryology, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yuqiao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Henan Key Laboratory of Medical Tissue Regeneration, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Cixia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Henan Key Laboratory of Medical Tissue Regeneration, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gan
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Anatomy and Embryology, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, P.R. China.
authors.forename: He
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Henan Key Laboratory of Medical Tissue Regeneration, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Zhikun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Guo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002469:Cell Separation; D048430:Cell Shape; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D008297:Male; D061251:Primary Cell Culture; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology*; D000067170:Telocytes / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014746:Vimentin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014746:Vimentin