Ulex europaeus I lectin as a marker for vascular endothelium in human tissues.

H Holthöfer, I Virtanen, AL Kariniemi… - … ; a journal of technical …, 1982 - europepmc.org
H Holthöfer, I Virtanen, AL Kariniemi, M Hormia, E Linder, A Miettinen
Laboratory investigation; a journal of technical methods and pathology, 1982europepmc.org
Ulex europaeus I agglutinin, a lectin specific for some alpha-L-fucose-containing
glycocompounds, was used in fluorescence microscopy to stain cryostat sections of human
tissues. The endothelium of vessels of all sizes was stained ubiquitously in all tissues
studied as judged by double staining with a known endothelial marker, antibodies against
human clotting factor VIII. Cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells, but not
fibroblasts, also bound Ulex lectin. The staining was not affected by the blood group type of …
Ulex europaeus I agglutinin, a lectin specific for some alpha-L-fucose-containing glycocompounds, was used in fluorescence microscopy to stain cryostat sections of human tissues. The endothelium of vessels of all sizes was stained ubiquitously in all tissues studied as judged by double staining with a known endothelial marker, antibodies against human clotting factor VIII. Cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells, but not fibroblasts, also bound Ulex lectin. The staining was not affected by the blood group type of the tissue donor. In some tissues Ulex lectin presented additional binding to epithelial structures. Also, this was independent on the blood group or the ability of the tissue donor to secrete soluble blood group substances. Lotus tetragonolobus agglutinin, another lectin specific for some alpha-L-fucose-containing moieties failed to react with endothelial cells. Our results suggest that Ulex europaeus I agglutinin is a good histologic marker for endothelium in human tissues.
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