Immunohistochemical study of subepidermal connective of molluscan integument

Submitted: 23 January 2010
Accepted: 23 January 2010
Published: 23 January 2010
Abstract Views: 560
PDF: 1094
Publisher's note
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

Authors

Sections of integument from gastropod, bivalve and cephalopod species were studied immunohistochemically to determine reactivity to antibody against the type I-like collagen from Sepia cartilage and antibodies against components of the extracellular matrix (ECM) of vertebrate connective tissue: type I, III, IV, V, and VI collagens, laminin, nidogen and heparan sulphate. All samples exhibited similar reactivities to the antibodies, although differences in the intensity and localization of the immunostaining were found that were clearly correlated with between-species differences in integumental ultrastructure. These findings indicate that the composition of the integumental ECM is similar in the three classes of molluscs examined and that several types of collagen are present. However molluscan subepidermal connective tissue differs from the ECM of vertebrate dermis: molluscan integumental ECM contains collagens similar to type I, V and VI collagens but has no type III-similar collagen. Furthermore molecules similar to the type IV collagen, laminin, nidogen and heparan sulphate of vertebrates were present ubiquitously in molluscan basement membrane, confirming the statement that the structure and composition of basement membrane have remained constant throughout the evolution of all animal phyla.

Dimensions

Altmetric

PlumX Metrics

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Citations

How to Cite

Corbetta, S., Bairati, A., & Vitellaro Zuccarello, L. (2010). Immunohistochemical study of subepidermal connective of molluscan integument. European Journal of Histochemistry, 46(3), 259–72. https://doi.org/10.4081/1688