ABSTRACT
Sialoadhesin (Sn) expression has been demonstrated on murine and rat macrophages in lymphatic organs and is recognized by the monoclonal antibody (mAb) ED3 in the rat. Sialoadhesin (Siglec-1), the ED3 antigen in the rat, is a subtype of sialic acid -binding Ig-like lectins (Siglecs) that bind specifically to sialic acid-containing structures such as selectins and was originally identified as the sheep erythrocyte receptor (SER) responsible for sialic acid-dependent binding of native sheep erythrocytes (SE) to resident murine bone marrow macrophages in rosetting assays. The aim of the present study was to investigate the expression and potential function of sialoadhesin in the stratified squamous epithelium of the rat tongue, esophagus and skin. The expression of sialoadhesin was demonstrated by immunohistochemical analysis with the mAb ED3. This study demonstrated not only the presence of sialoadhesin on the basal epithelial cells of the stratified epithelium in normal rat tongue, esophagus and skin but also its upregulated expression on these cells in CY-treated rats. The results of the present study shed some light on the potential function of sialoadhesin in the basal epithelial cells of the stratified epithelium. Further studies may provide more insight into the role of sialoadhesin in the epithelial stem cells.