Do not reply with any comments on adult murine morphology. So, I have H&E cuts of P1(day one after birth) lungs. However, although I did not collect any LIVER tissue, I have what looks like cuts of mature lung tissue alongside some "liver looking" tissues. This has been seen in 4 separate samples from 4 mice. Anyone have experience with Day1 lung tissue and potentially heterogeneous structures? I know what alveolar sacs look like and the samples contain those structures, similar to adult lungs, however, it looks like they contain sections of preemie collapsed or undeveloped dense tissue. Anyone have experience on this?
Alveolar cells (pneumocites) are citokeratin 7 positive. Hepatocites are negative (only biliar ducts positives)
It 's very difficult, without being able to see an image of what you describe, give an opinion. the first thing that comes to mind is that it might be adrenal cortical tissue, and this can be found more often in heterotopic sites below the diaphragm, although it has rarely been described in the lung. I believe that his presence in the lung may actually be more common because most of the time it is not detected. However, this does not justify the high incidence (if actually adrenal tissue) that you observe in your case. (the adrenal cortex is MART1 positive)
I just found someone who said it could be collapsed lung tissue??? Ever seen something like that in neonates?? Would love to do a stain but can't spring for the extra antibody right now :( I will ask about this cortical tissue issue..!
I agree with Maurizio that without an image it is difficult. Are the sections of lung near the unknown tissue or confluent with it? Your comment about collapsed tissue raises the possibility of atelectatic lung which can appear dense but will retain bronchiolar structures. Otherwise, not much lives there that could look like liver (lymph nodes, thymus, heart). Intrapulomonary ectopic liver does occur (about 10 case reports in humans) but in 4 consecutive cases this is unlikely. As mentioned previously cytokeratin 7 will identify pneumocytes and biliary epithelia but not hepatocytes, and hepatocytes are cytokeratin 8 and 18 positive.
Atelectasis is a possibility. SO the pups were given 100ul Avectin euthanasia and then decapitated as per our facility regulations. Those two steps are manadtory in this facility, so I am wondering if the decapitation resulted in the collapse of a few lobes, those which resultantly look like liver... I am working on some pics right now but not sure if I can even get them up here... I would like to stain as mentioned but I cannot afford the antibody right now.. I am taking these slides to a patho lung expert now, will suggest your offerings and will report back anything new...
This is pretty commonly found in mouse sections. It will still have the distinguishing features of bronchioles and then lots of small densely packed endothelial-lined capillaries which would be the collapsed alveolar walls.
The question is not clear. What do you want to know about these lungs?
The pathologist has told me that it is liver tissue. However, I did not harvest liver tissue for any of the four samples. I also now believe it is collapsed/immature lung tissue. I will attempt a whole E17 embedding now of the entire embryo, instead of harvesting tissue from a day 1 old mouse. Will keep you updated!
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