Acid Phosphatase Activity and Cell Death in Mouse Thymus

Overview

Journal Histochemistry

Specialty Biochemistry

Date 1980 Feb 1

PMID 6965672

Citations 4

Authors

I D Bowen

G H Lewis

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The distribution of acid phosphatase activity in the thymus of young (8 week) and old (42 week) mice is presented. In 8 week old mice acid phosphatase positive cells represent 1.27 +/- 0.13% of the total population whereas in 42 week old mice, showing involution of the thymus, acid phosphatase positive cells represent 2.40 +/- 0.17% of the total population. Loci of free acid phosphatase activity have been interpreted as sites of cell lysis and death. This has been confirmed at electron microscope level where free acid phosphatase has been demonstrated in the cytoplasm of lysing thymic lymphocytes. Vacuolar sites of acid phosphatase activity have been demonstrated in macrophages which appear to dispose of the lymphocytes. Extensive autophagic activity occurs in the epithelial reticular cells. The role of acid phosphatase in thymic lymphocyte deletion and in the tissue dynamics of the thymus is discussed.

Citing Articles

Multiplexing spheroid volume, resazurin and acid phosphatase viability assays for high-throughput screening of tumour spheroids and stem cell neurospheres.

Ivanov D, Parker T, Walker D, Alexander C, Ashford M, Gellert P PLoS One. 2014; 9(8):e103817.

PMID: 25119185 PMC: 4131917. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0103817.

In vivo analysis of autophagy in response to nutrient starvation using transgenic mice expressing a fluorescent autophagosome marker.

Mizushima N, Yamamoto A, Matsui M, Yoshimori T, Ohsumi Y Mol Biol Cell. 2003; 15(3):1101-11.

PMID: 14699058 PMC: 363084. DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e03-09-0704.

The localization of histochemical and autoradiographic products in the scanning electron microscope by means of atomic number contrast.

Bowen I, Lewis G, Winters C Histochem J. 1983; 15(12):1191-202.

PMID: 6605957 DOI: 10.1007/BF01002739.

Kinetic studies on a murine sarcoma and an analysis of apoptosis.

Sarraf C, Bowen I Br J Cancer. 1986; 54(6):989-98.

PMID: 3801293 PMC: 2001609. DOI: 10.1038/bjc.1986.271.

References

CLARK Jr S . The thymus in mice of strain 129/J, studied with the electron microscope. Am J Anat. 1963; 112:1-33. DOI: 10.1002/aja.1001120102. View

Hoshino T . Electron microscopic studies of the epithelial reticular cells of the mouse thymus. Z Zellforsch Mikrosk Anat. 1963; 59:513-29. DOI: 10.1007/BF00368725. View

Hinsull S, Bellamy D, Franklin A . A quantitative histological assessment of cellular death, in relation to mitosis, in rat thymus during growth and age involution. Age Ageing. 1977; 6(2):77-84. DOI: 10.1093/ageing/6.2.77. View

Bowen E, Ryder T, Dark C . The effects of starvation on the planarian worm Polycelis tenuis Iijima. Cell Tissue Res. 1976; 169(2):193-209. DOI: 10.1007/BF00214208. View

Ito T, Hoshino T . Fine structure of the epithelial reticular cells of the medulla of the thymus in the golden hamster. Z Zellforsch Mikrosk Anat. 1966; 69:311-8. DOI: 10.1007/BF00406283. View

Lewis G, Bowen I, Bellamy D . Combined autoradiography and histochemistry: the simultaneous detection of 6-3H thymidine and acid phosphatase activity in cryostate sections. J Microsc. 1979; 117(2):255-9. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2818.1979.tb01181.x. View

KOHNEN P, WEISS L . AN ELECTRON MICROSCOPIC STUDY OF THYMIC CORPUSCLES IN THE GUINEA PIG AND THE MOUSE. Anat Rec. 1964; 148:29-57. DOI: 10.1002/ar.1091480104. View

Bowen I, Ryder T . Use of the p-nitrophenyl phosphate method for the demonstration of acid phosphatase during starvation and cell autolysis in the planarian Polycelis tenuis Iijima. Histochem J. 1976; 8(3):319-29. DOI: 10.1007/BF01003820. View

Gad P, CLARK Jr S . Involution and regeneration of the thymus in mice, induced by bacterial endotoxin and studied by quantitative histology and electron microscopy. Am J Anat. 1968; 122(3):573-605. DOI: 10.1002/aja.1001220310. View

10.

Hopkins C . The fine structural localization of acid phosphatase in the prolactin cell of the teleost pituitary following the stimulation and inhibition of secretory activity. Tissue Cell. 1969; 1(4):653-71. DOI: 10.1016/s0040-8166(69)80039-x. View

11.

Bowen I, Ryder T . Cell autolysis and deletion in the planarian Polycelis tenuis Iijima. Cell Tissue Res. 1974; 154(2):265-74. DOI: 10.1007/BF00223168. View

12.

Smith R, Farquhar M . Lysosome function in the regulation of the secretory process in cells of the anterior pituitary gland. J Cell Biol. 2009; 31(2):319-47. PMC: 2107048. DOI: 10.1083/jcb.31.2.319. View