CD44 standard and variant isoform expression in normal human skin appendages and epidermis (original) (raw)

Abstract

CD44 isoforms have been implicated in tumor progression and metastasis formation. This study presents a thorough immunohistochemical analysis of CD44 standard ann isoform expression in normal human skin appendages and epidermis applying monoclonal antibodies against CD44s, CD44v3,-v4,-v5,-v6, and-v9. An improved immunohistochemical protocol with microwave-based antigen retrieval in paraffin section and heavy metal amplificatio of the diaminobenzidine reaction product provided enhanced resolution and sensitivity as compared to studies on frozen sections. The hair follile, the seborrheic and eccrine sweat glands were strongly positive for all CD44 isoforms studied. In the latter, the clear cells but not the dark (intercalated) cells were positive. The sudoriferous ducts adjacent to the glands were weakly positive for all CD44 isoforms and strongly positive near the skin surface. In the apocrine glands, the basal cells showed only a moderate positivity. The myoepithelial cells expressed only CD44s. In the epidermis, all CD44 isoforms were detectable, with strongest CD44 immunostaining in the lower third of the stratum spinosum and weaker staining in the stratum basale and the upper two-thirds of the stratum granulosum. The stratum granulosum and corneum were unreactive. Thus, a regional and cell type-specific CD44 expression was revealed.

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Authors and Affiliations

1. Division of Cell and Molecular Pathology, University of Zürich, Schmelzbergstrasse 12, CH-8091, Zürich, Switzerland
   Walter K. F. Seelentag, Eva Futo & Jürgen Roth
2. Basel Institute for Immunulogy, Basel, Switzerland
   Ursula Günthert
3. Department of Pathology, University of Zürich, Switzerland
   Parvin Saremaslani & Philipp U. Heitz
4. Institute for Clinical Pathology, University of Zürich, Switzerland
   Madeleine Pfaltz

Authors

1. Walter K. F. Seelentag
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2. Ursula Günthert
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3. Parvin Saremaslani
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4. Eva Futo
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5. Madeleine Pfaltz
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6. Philipp U. Heitz
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7. Jürgen Roth
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Correspondence toWalter K. F. Seelentag.

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Seelentag, W.K.F., Günthert, U., Saremaslani, P. et al. CD44 standard and variant isoform expression in normal human skin appendages and epidermis.Histochem Cell Biol 106, 283–289 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02473238

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• Accepted: 10 May 1996
• Issue Date: September 1996
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02473238

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