Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research ›› 2013, Vol. 17 ›› Issue (24): 4421-4428.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.2095-4344.2013.24.008

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Gene expression of the skin and sweat glands in different development stages of embryo

Chen Li-ying1, Fan Kun-wu1, Wang Jin-shui2, Yu Xu-ming1, Xu Cheng1   

  1. 1 Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, the Second People’s Hospital of Shenzhen, Shenzhen  518000, Guangdong Province, China
    2 PKU Shenzhen Wuzhou Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Shenzhen  518000, Guangdong Province, China
  • Received:2012-11-11 Revised:2013-02-04 Online:2013-06-11 Published:2013-06-11
  • Contact: Fan Kun-wu, Master, Chief physician, Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, the Second People’s Hospital of Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518000, Guangdong Province, China fankunwu@hotmail.com
  • About author:Chen Li-ying, Associate chief physician, Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, the Second People’s Hospital of Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518000, Guangdong Province, China 624192754@qq.com

Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Because of the shortage of genetic evidence for the occurrence and development of the sweat glands as well as the relationship between sweat gland injury and regeneration, various reasons caused skin injury cannot reach complete repair of anatomical structure and physiological function.
OBJECTIVE: To observe the morphology of skin tissue, and the occurrence and development pattern of the sweat gland, a skin appendage, in different development stages of embryo, as well as to find the related genes that play important roles in the development of sweat glands.
METHODS: Thirteen fetuses with the gestational age of 12-36 weeks were provided by the Second People’s Hospital of Shenzhen, which strictly followed the ethical principles, and informed consent was written by their families. Hematoxylin-eosin staining and ABC immunohistochemical method were used to observe the structure and characteristics of fetal skin tissue and sweat glands in different development stages of embryo. Reverse transcription-PCR was used to analyze the gene expression of fetal skin tissue and sweat glands in the growth process.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Skin tissue structure of human fetus with different gestational ages showed regular change, which could be roughly divided into three development stages: the early formation of sweat glands (germ or the original base period, E12-15 weeks), the middle formation of sweat gland (E16-24 weeks), sweat gland maturation period (E25+-36 weeks). The keratin 7, keratin 8, keratin 18 and carcinoembryonic antigen biomolecular markers were positively expressed in the sweat gland cells of fetal skin tissue, while negatively expressed in the other cells of dermis and epidermis. The keratin 19 was not the specific marker of epidermal stem cells. Epidermal growth factor and its receptor are actively involved in the skin and sweat gland morphogenesis, which play an important role in maintaining the function of skin and sweat glands.

Key words: tissue construction, skin tissue construction, embryo, embryonic developmental stage, skin, sweat glands, skin appendages, genes, gene expression, skin regeneration

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