Epithelial polarity-driven membrane separation but not cavitation regulates lumen formation of rat eccrine sweat glands

Zixiu Chen; Junhong Zhao; Cangyu Wang; Xiang Liu; Zihua Chen; Jianda Zhou; Lei Zhang; Cuiping Zhang; Haihong Li

doi:10.1016/j.acthis.2023.152093

Epithelial polarity-driven membrane separation but not cavitation regulates lumen formation of rat eccrine sweat glands

Acta Histochem. 2023 Oct;125(7):152093. doi: 10.1016/j.acthis.2023.152093. Epub 2023 Sep 25.

Authors

Zixiu Chen¹, Junhong Zhao¹, Cangyu Wang¹, Xiang Liu¹, Zihua Chen¹, Jianda Zhou², Lei Zhang³, Cuiping Zhang⁴, Haihong Li⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Wound Repair and Dermatologic Surgery, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Jinzhou Medical University Graduate Training Base, Shiyan, Hubei Province, China.
² Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, The Third Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
³ Mental Health Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China. Electronic address: zhanglei1051@126.com.
⁴ Research Center for Tissue Repair and Regeneration Affiliated to the Medical Innovation Research Department and Fourth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China. Electronic address: zcp666666@sohu.com.
⁵ Department of Wound Repair and Dermatologic Surgery, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Jinzhou Medical University Graduate Training Base, Shiyan, Hubei Province, China; Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China. Electronic address: lihaihong1051@126.com.

PMID: 37757514
DOI: 10.1016/j.acthis.2023.152093

Abstract

Background: Each eccrine sweat gland (ESG) is a single-tubular structure with a central lumen, and the formation of hollow lumen in the initial solid cell mass is a key developmental process. To date, there are no reports on the mechanism of native ESG lumen formation.

Methods: To investigate the lumen morphogenesis and the lumen formation mechanisms of Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat ESGs, SD rat hind-footpads at E20.5, P1-P5, P7, P9, P12, P21, P28 and P56 were obtained. The lumen morphogenesis of ESGs was examined by HE staining and immunofluorescence staining for polarity markers. The possible mechanisms of lumen formation were detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) apoptosis assay and autophagy marker LC3B immunofluorescence staining, and further explored by ouabain intervention experiment.

Results: In SD rat ESGs, the microlumen was formed at P1, and the small intact lumen with apical-basal polarity appeared at P3. The expression of apical marker F-actin, basal marker Laminin, basolateral marker E-cadherin was consistent with the timing of lumen formation of SD rat ESGs. During rat ESG development, apoptosis and autophagy were not detected. However, inhibition of Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase (NKA) with ouabain resulted in decreased lumen size, although neither the timing of lumen formation nor the expression of polarity proteins was altered.

Conclusions: Epithelial polarity-driven membrane separation but not cavitation regulates lumen formation of SD rat ESGs. NKA-regulated fluid accumulation drives lumen expansion.

Keywords: Eccrine sweat glands; Fluid movement; Lumen formation; Membrane separation; Polarity; SD rats.