Correlation between Urothelial Differentiation and Sensory Proteins P2X3, P2X5, TRPV1, and TRPV4 in Normal Urothelium and Papillary Carcinoma of Human Bladder
Figure 3
Low grade papillary urothelial carcinoma (pTa). (a) Uroplakin (UP) immunolabeling (red) is detected either continuously throughout the urothelial (U) superficial cell layer or (b) as regions where some superficial cells are uroplakin positive (red) and some uroplakin negative. (c) Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) reveals altered appearance of the urothelial apical surface in comparison to normal urothelium. Some neighbouring superficial cells are separated from one another (arrows) and underlying intermediate cell can be seen (asterisk). (d) P2X3 immunolabeling (red) is positive in all urothelial cell layers with the strongest immunolabeling in the superficial cells (arrows). (e) Some regions are intensely immunolabeled with anti-P2X5 antibody (red) in the urothelial superficial cell layer and in individual intermediate cells (arrows), (f) while other regions are P2X5 negative. (g) TRPV1 immunolabeling (green) is seen in basal and intermediate cells, but not in superficial cells. (h) In some regions, superficial cells (arrows) are TRPV4 positive (green), while (i) in other regions all urothelial cells are TRPV4 negative. TRPV4 positive immunolabeling is seen in the compartments of the lamina propria (arrow). In images (a)-(b) and (d)–(I), nuclei are labelled blue with DAPI. L = lumen, LP = lamina propria. Scale bars = 50 μm.
