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Characterisation of Kupffer cells in some Amphibia
Author(s) -
CORSARO CONCETTA,
SCALIA MARINA,
LEOTTA NICOLA,
MONDIO FILIPPO,
SICHEL GIOVANNI
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
journal of anatomy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.932
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1469-7580
pISSN - 0021-8782
DOI - 10.1046/j.1469-7580.2000.19620249.x
Subject(s) - endoplasmic reticulum , zymosan , melanosome , biology , peroxidase , cell type , microbiology and biotechnology , ultrastructure , cell , chemistry , anatomy , biochemistry , in vitro , enzyme , melanin
A study on the Kupffer cells (KCs) of Amphibia was undertaken in order to compare these cells with those of endothermic animals. Liver tissue and isolated and cultured KCs were studied by light microscopy and by transmission and scanning electron microscopy. We have shown that amphibian KCs can be divided into 2 principal types: ‘small’ and ‘large’. Both cell types possess the distinctive KC morphology. They show nonspecific esterase activity, weak endogenous peroxidase activity in the nuclear envelope and in the rough endoplasmic reticulum, and the ability to engulf naturally present cell debris or experimentally administered zymosan or latex particles. The principal difference between the small and the large cells consists in the substantial quantity of inclusion bodies that exist only in the latter. We conclude that amphibian KCs, apart from their ability to build melanosomes and synthesise melanins, are very similar to mammalian KCs.