Morphological identification and distribution comparison of telocytes in pituitary gland between normal and cryptorchid yaks

• Published in: BMC veterinary research 2024-10, Vol.20 (1), p.463-463, Article 463
• Main Authors: Qi, Yumei, Yuan, Ligang, Zeng, Jianlin, Wang, Xiaofen, Ma, Long, Lv, Jinghan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analysis; Animals; Antigens, CD34 - metabolism; biomarkers; blood; Care and treatment; Cattle; Cattle Diseases - pathology; Cryptorchidism; Cryptorchidism - pathology; Cryptorchidism - veterinary; Cryptorchism; Diagnosis; Diseases; Fluorescent antibody technique; gene expression; Genetic aspects; Growth; Immunofluorescence; immunomodulation; Male; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission - veterinary; Morphology; phenotype; Pituitary gland; Pituitary Gland - metabolism; protein synthesis; Telocytes; toluidine blue; transmission electron microscopy; vimentin; Yaks
• ISSN: 1746-6148; 1746-6148
• DOI: 10.1186/s12917-024-04307-1

Telocytes (TCs) is a novel type of interstitial cells in many mammals organs, which participate in the organizational metabolism, mechanical support, immunomodulation and other aspects. The aim of this study was to explore the organizational chemical characteristics of TCs in pituitary gland and their changes in cryptorchid yaks. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), toluidine blue staining, immunofluorescence, qRT-PCR, and Western blotting may enable us to understand TCs distribution characteristics and biological functions. TEM confirmed the presence of TCs in the pituitary gland with small bodies and moniliform telopodes (Tps). The Tps extending out from the cell body to the peri-sinusoidal vessels spaces, the number of Tps is closely related to the morphology of the nucleus. The most obvious changes of TCs in the pituitary gland of cryptorchid yaks is the Tps are relatively shorter and decreased secretory vesicles. H.E. and toluidine blue staining revealed that TCs not only distributed between the sinusoidal blood vessels and the glandular cell clusters, but also present on the surface of vascular endothelial cells. The co-expression of TCs biomarkers, such as Vimentin/CD34, CD117/CD34 and α-SMA/CD34, were evaluated by immunofluorescence to further determine the phenotypic characteristics of TCs. Besides, we analyzed the mRNA and protein expression of these biomarkers to determine the characteristics of TCs changes and possible biological roles. Both the mRNA and protein expression of CD117 were significantly higher in the pituitary gland of cryptorchid yaks than in the normal (p