Localization of keratin in the notochord and in notochord derived tumors - immunohistological study of rat embryo and human chordoma

Abstract

Presence of keratin was observed in the notochordal plate of 10-day rat embryos. The characteristic changes in the appearance of the notochord during the following days of gestation were also observed in sections stained by immunofluorescence with keratin antisera. On day 12, the keratin-positive notochordal plate had become a cylindrical structure closely apposed to the ventral surface of the spinal cord. The distance between notochord and spinal cord progressively increased at later stages. The expression of keratin was also studied by the Avidin-Biotin complex method on 4 chordomas, tumors originating from intraosseous notochordal vestigial remnants. In accordance with the developmental study all chordomas were keratin-positive.