Immunohistochemical localization of vascular endot

Authors: Andrea G Pozzi Carola A Yovanovich Lucas Jungblut Tamara Heer Dante A Paz

Publish Date: 2006/06/20

Volume: 211, Issue: 5, Pages: 549-557

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Abstract

In the last years several studies have shown that vascular endothelial growth factor VEGF is present in neural stem cells and mature neurons from different neural tissues where it may play an important role as a neuroproliferative and/or antiapoptotic factor The olfactory neuroepithelium has the capability to replace dying neurons with new neurons formed by cell division from stem cells in the basal region of the epithelium The present study demonstrates for the first time that VEGF is present in the olfactory epithelium nerves and bulbs both main and accessory during the development of the toad Bufo arenarum In this report we detected VEGF immunoreactivity in mature olfactory neurons from early larval stages until the beginning of the metamorphic climax VEGF expression decreases dramatically after metamorphosis VEGF receptor Flk1 was localized by immunohistochemistry from premetamorphic larval stages until the climax in the neurons of the olfactory epithelium with a more intense labeling in the basal cell layer Doublelabel immunofluorescence studies localized VEGF to the cytoplasm and the nucleus of mature neurons whereas Flk1 was expressed in cell membranes Flk1 was present in neurons of both the main and accessory olfactory bulbs After the end of metamorphosis Flk1 expression was limited to basal cells in the olfactory epithelium and Bowman’s glands The main and accessory olfactory bulbs showed the same pattern of Flk1 immunostaining before and after the end of metamorphosis The presence of VEGF and its receptor in the olfactory system suggests that VEGF may play an important role during neural developmentWe thank Roberto Fernandez for his excellent technical assistance and Dr Eduardo Artz for his helpful discussion This study was supported by grants from Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas CONICET PID 2309 and Universidad de Buenos Aires UBACyT X 131

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