IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF HEPATIC NUCLEAR FACTOR 4 ALPHA EXPRESSION IN THE CHOROID PLEXUS OF THE LATERAL AND 4TH VENTRICLES OF ADULT MALE RAT BRAIN.

OBJECTIVE

The aim: This study aims to compare the lateral and fourth ventricles of CPs using hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 alpha (HNF4α), metabolism marker, to evaluate the functional activity of this tissue in two regions.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

Materials and methods: Ten adult male albino rats were used to study the histological features of the CPs and to study the functional activity by quantitative immunohistochemical labelling with HNF4α marker.

RESULTS

Results

The CP of the fourth ventricle had more functional activity than the CP of the lateral ventricle. A quantitative assessment of HNF4α using Aperio ImageScope Software Analysis showed that the lateral ventricle CP mean positivity equalled 0.264 ± 0.083 pixel/micron² while the fourth ventricle CP has mean positivity 0.297 ± 0.043 pixel/micron². The immunohistochemical expression of marker in the fourth ventricle CP was significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher than those in the lateral ventricle (P ≤ 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Conclusions

Immunohistochemical detection of metabolism marker went along with findings of other histological and biochemical studies to define the CP as a highly dynamic structure with regional variations forming a continuum of one entity tissue capable of functional adaptation according to body needs.