Early fetal acquisition of the chromaffin and neuronal immunophenotype by human adrenal medullary cells. An immunohistological study using monoclonal antibodies to chromogranin A, synaptophysin, tyrosine hydroxylase, and neuronal cytoskeletal proteins.

The development of chromaffin and neuronal features in the adrenal medulla was studied in normal human fetuses with gestational ages (GAs) of 6-34 weeks. Monoclonal antibodies specific for chromogranin A, synaptophysin, and tyrosine hydroxylase; for different subunits and phosphoisoforms of neurofilament (NF) proteins; and for microtubule-associated proteins were applied. Morphologically, two major cell types could be distinguished, i.e., "large" cells with pale nuclei and ill-defined cytoplasm, which were present from 9 weeks GA on, and clusters of "small," primitive appearing cells, present from 14 weeks GA on. The large cells were immunoreactive for chromogranin A, synaptophysin, tyrosine hydroxylase, and NF proteins, similar to adult chromaffin cells. In contrast, small cells expressed NF proteins and tyrosine hydroxylase, but not chromogranin A or synaptophysin, more resembling ganglion cells in the adult adrenal medulla. At the latest developmental stages large cells were observed in the center of the clusters of "small" cells, which morphologically resembled immature ganglion cells and expressed NF proteins in their perikarya. These observations indicate that chromaffin and ganglion cells establish their immunophenotype early in embryogenesis. They suggest that "large" and "small" cells are progenitors of the chromaffin and the ganglion cells, respectively, of the mature adrenal medulla.