The expression of desmin and cytokeratins No. 8 and 18 in the nonhematopoietic cells of the rat liver

: During prenatal ontogenesis of mammals, liver plays a role as the hemopoietic organ. We have studied the distribution of hepatocytes (antigenic markers--cytokeratins No 8 and 18) and Ito cells (antigenic marker--desmin) in the liver and the interaction of these two cell classes with hemopoietic cells. At days 14 and 15 of embryonic development, nonhemopoietic liver cells had many processes, expressed desmin and were stained with antibodies against cytokeratins No 8 and 18. The amount of desmin-positive cells shortly diminished on day 16 of gestation, when embryonic hepatoblasts (prehepatocytes) acquired cubical shape and expressed only cytokeratins, but not desmin. Morphometric analysis had shown that the amount of cells expressing desmin in the liver during the prenatal and neonatal periods is greater, than in the adult organ. We have observed tight association of desmin-positive cells and their processes with hemopoietic cells during prenatal and early postnatal ontogenesis. It is proposed that in the embryonic liver, desmin-positive cells may play a role of stromal elements involved in embryonic hemopoiesis; they also may support hepatocyte development.