Expression design of primary proteins from intermediate filaments such as cytokeratin, vimentin and desmin in any cells within the umbilical cord was immunohistochemically studied using polyclonal (PAN cytokeratin) and monoclonal (vimentin and desmin) antibodies. The results showed that the cells of the mature human umbilical cord such as amniocytes, cells of the mucilaginous connective tissue, endothelial and smooth-muscle vascular cells expressed the basic proteins of the intermediate filaments in a different way. The amniocytes reacted strongly positively towards cytokeratin while only single cells reacted towards desmin and vimentin. All the cells of the mucilaginous connective tissue reacted positively for vimentin and desmin both. The vascular endothelial cells remained vimentin-positive only while the vascular myocytes demonstrated certain peculiarities of their reaction towards vimentin and desmin related not only with their vascular belonging (arterial or venous, respectively) but also with their intramural topography. Based on these new facts the authors discussed the nature, differentiation and functions of the structures involved in this important transitory formation.
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