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.