30th European Association of Veterinary Anatomists Congress, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, 23 - 26 July 2014, vol.43, pp.20
Introduction: The Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF)-system
plays a major role in prenatal and postnatal lung development
and in the repair of damaged airway epithelium
and mucin production (Nadel JA. 2001: Respir. Res. 2,
85-89, Burgel et al., 2004: Thorax 59, 992-996). It
comprises four receptors, ErbB1, ErbB2, ErbB3, ErbB4
and ligands such EGF, neuregulin and amphiregulin. The
function and localizations of EGFRs and its ligands,
however, has not yet been established in post hatch development
of lung in birds. The purpose of this study is to
determine the possible changes in the localization of the
four EGF receptors and three ligands in quail lungs from
the first day of hatching until the 125th after hatching,
using immunohistochemical methods.
Methods: Five quails each (total 30 quails), aged 1, 5, 10,
15, 30, and 125 days, were sacrified under ether anaesthesia
following fixation in alcoholic-formalin and embedding
in paraffin processing, strepavidin-biotin-peroxidase
method was used for immunohistochemical examination.
This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of
Erciyes University.
Results: The nuclear and cytoplasmic immunoreactions
for EGFRs and ligands in the air capillaries, atria, parabronchi,
secondary bronchi of quail lung were relatively
similar throughout the post-hatching period. Neuregulin
and ErbB4 cytoplasmic stainings in the epithelium of
atria, parabronchi and secondary bronchi were stronger
than nuclear staining. ErbB2 immunoreactivity was strong
in the muscle cells of atria, secondary bronchi and blood
vessels; however immunoreactivities for other receptors
and ligands were weak. ErbB1 was very strong especially
in the goblet cells of epithelium of the secondary bronchi.
The macrophages in the interstitial tissue of the parabronchial
walls displayed positive immunoreaction for
Amphiregulin, Neuregulin and ErbB4.