Mj. Nissinen et P. Panula, DEVELOPMENTAL PATTERNS OF HISTAMINE-LIKE IMMUNOREACTIVITY IN THE MOUSE, The Journal of histochemistry and cytochemistry, 43(2), 1995, pp. 211-227
We studied the appearance and distribution of histamine (HA) during mo
use embryogenesis, neonatal period, and adulthood using a specific rab
bit HA antiserum and indirect immunofluorescence. HA first appeared on
the Embryonic Day 13 (E13) in scattered mast cells in the gastrointes
tinal (GI) muscularis externa and liver, The splenic primordium contai
ned a dense population of intensely HA-immunoreactive (HA-ir) cells fr
om E13 on, From E15 to the birth, HA was detected in many embryonic ce
ll types. On E15, the first HA-ir epithelial endocrine cells appeared
in the oxyntic mucosa, In addition to the HA-ir cells in GI tract and
liver, some nerve cells in ganglia of the peripheral nervous system (P
NS), some fibers in spinal and cranial nerves, nerve fibers in mesente
rium, and nerve plexuses of the gastrointestinal muscularis externa we
re HA-ir from E15 on. Occasional HA-ir nerve fibers were detected with
in the glandular epithelium of the oxyntic mucosa, pancreas, and saliv
ary glands during late embryogenesis. During the same period, bright f
luorescence was observed in cells of the kidney convoluted tubules and
pancreatic islet cells. From E14 on, mast cells exhibiting bright flu
orescence were scattered throughout the connective tissue of the fetus
, and their number increased rapidly with age. Their density was espec
ially high in subcutaneous connective tissue, Embryonic epidermal ails
showed faint HA immunoreactivity. In musculoskeletal tissues, develop
ing bone and occasional striated muscle cells exhibited HA immunoreact
ivity. Interestingly, most cells in liver showed transiently weak HA i
mmunoreactivity during embryogenesis. In adult mouse, HA was stored on
ly by scattered mast cells, oxyntic epithelial cells, and neurons in t
he tuberomamillary nucleus of the brain, The other HA-containing embry
onic cells were negative for HA in adult mouse, In conclusion, HA immu
noreactivity is widely distributed in epithelial, neuronal, and mast c
ells in various organs during mouse embryogenesis.