Immunohistochemical Demonstration of E-Cadherin Expression in the Kidney of Prenatal Development

Objective: Cadherins are a protein family of Ca2+ dependent transmembrane cell adhesion molecules that play a key role in the regulation of organ and tissue development during embriyogenesis. We aimed to show E-cadherin expression immunohistochemically in the pre-natal period in the development of kidney. Materials and Methods: In this study, 45 fetuses were obtained from 12 female and 4 male adult Wistar rats bred in Pamukkale University Experimental Research Unit. Fetuses were removed from 11, 13, 15, 17 and 19. day pregnant rats. After routine light microscopy technique, fetuses fixed in 10% formaldehyde were embedded in paraffin. Serial 5 μ thick sections from parafin blocks were taken to slides and the immunohistochemistry method, was applied to determine the E-cadherin expression. Results: In this study, E-cadherin showed negative expression in E11 and 13 days kidney tissues. In the 15, 17 and 19. day kidneys, E-cadherin expression was positive. Tubule structures were more darkly stained than glomerular structures. In lateterm fetal kidneys, E-cadherin expression was gradually diminished in the renal corpuscle. Conclusion: We determined that E-cadherin expression showed differences both in different developmental stages and different areas of kidney. These differences may be important in terms of the investigation of etiologies and diagnosis of congenital kidney diseases and in the evaluation of nephrotoxicity and kidney pathologies.