Immunohistochemistry with Keratin and Smooth Muscle Actin Monoclonal Antibodies in Canine Digestive Tract and Extramural Glands

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Abstract
The canine digestive system and its extramural glands (parotid gland, liver, pancreas) were immunohistochemically studied using a panel of twelve monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) specific for human keratin proteins and for alpha-smooth muscle actin. Various epithelial tissues and cells were characterized by different keratin staining patterns. So, the epithelial lining of the upper alimentary tract was characterized by staining with the MoAb 6B10, specific for keratin-type (K) 4, and the absence of staining with the MoAbs directed against K 8 and 18 (CAM 5.2 and RGE 53, DE-K18 respectively), whereas the lower alimentary tract epithelium was not labeled by 6B10, but stained by the latter MoAbs. In the salivary glands the luminal and basal cells of the adenomeres as well as the different ductal structures could be immunohistochemically differentiated. The duct epithelium in liver and pancreas showed next to keratin staining characteristics in common with hepatocytes and exocrine pancreatic cells, additional staining by several keratin MoAbs. The keratin staining patterns in the canine tissues showed, in addition to similarities also distinct discrepancies when compared to the staining patterns in corresponding human tissues. Myoepithelial cells in salivary and oesophageal glands could be differentiated from other basally located epithelial cells by their exclusive immunoreactivity for alpha-smooth muscle actin. Canine pancreatic endocrine cells were not labeled by any of the keratin MoAbs. It is concluded that immunohistochemistry with polypeptide specific MoAbs specific for human keratin-types can be used to differentiate between different types of canine epithelial tissues and epithelial cells in the digestive tract. As a result such reagents may find their application in developmental biology and pathology of this species.