IMMUNOLOCALIZATION OF AND IN MAST CELLS OF RAT AND HUMAN PERICARDIUM
M. G. Martynova,1 E. V. Nakatseva,2 M. I. Yemefyanova,1 O. M. Moiseeva,2
I. L. Erokhina 1
1 Institute Cytology RAS, St. Petersburg, 2 V. A. Almasov's Research Institute of Cardiology, St. Petersburg;
e-mail: heartdev@mail.cytspb.rssi.ru
It is known that many heart diseases are accompanied by a significant increase in the level of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), a regulator of cardiovascular
homeostasis, in the pericardial fluid. Cellular sources of ANP in pericardial cavity remain uncertain. By EM immunocytochemistry, we have examined the
presence and localization of ANP in rat and human pericardium. ANP-immunoreactive material was revealed in granules of mast cells (MCs) situated in
connective tissue of the pericardium. MCs have an oval form and measure about 6.5 × 12.5 and 9.1 × 13.6 μm in the rat and human pericardium,
respectively. Density of MC population makes up about 50 and 10 cells/mm2 in the rat and human pericardium, respectively. Our data suggest
possible participation of the pericardial MCs in endocrine function of pericardium and in control of the ANP level in pericardial cavity.
Key words: ANP, immunocytochemistry, pericardium, mast cell
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