The expression patterns of transforming growth factor-betas (TGF-betas) were studied immunohis-tochemically in hepatic erythropoietic cells and hepatocytes of 3 human fetal livers from 21 to 26 gestation weeks. The results obtained 1. TGF-beta1 was weakly expressed at first in polychromatophilic erythroblast and more strongly in acidophilic erythroblast, but not in reticulocytes and mature red blood cells. The expression of TGF-beta1 was occasionally found in hepatocytes and sinusoidal endothelial cells. 2. TGF-beta2 was most strongly expressed than TGF-beta1 and beta3 in the maturation stages from proerythroblast to polychromatophilic erythroblasts, and weakly in some acidophilic erythroblasts, but not in hepatocytes and 3. TGF-beta3 was weakly expressed in proerythroblast and basophilic erythroblast, and more strongly than TGF-beta1 in hepatocytes with granular pattern. TGF-beta3 was not expressed in sinusoidal endothelium, but weakly in endothelium of portal vein and in connective tissue of portal area. In summary, TGF-beta1, beta2, beta3 demonstrated various patterns of expression in hepatocytes and erythropoietic cells of some maturation stages, but were not expressed in reticulocytes and mature red blood cells. It is suggested that the characteristic expression patterns of TGF-beta1, beta2, beta3 are closely associated with the maturation of hepatic erythropoietic cells and hepatocytes.
Basophils ; Connective Tissue ; Endothelial Cells ; Endothelium ; Erythroblasts ; Erythrocytes ; Erythropoiesis* ; Hepatocytes ; Humans* ; Liver ; Portal Vein ; Pregnancy ; Protein Isoforms* ; Reticulocytes ; Transforming Growth Factor beta* ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; Transforming Growth Factor beta2 ; Transforming Growth Factor beta3