Cytokeratin patterns of epithelial cells of the rat nasal cavity in vivo and in vitro.

Nasal epithelial cells are a primary target for the actions of inhaled substances. To enable the determination of alterations in cell differentiation in the rat inhalation model, we developed a methodology to assess cytokeratin expression in rat nasal tissue. A panel of commercially available antibodies was validated for specificity to defined rat cytokeratins by immunoblotting. The development of immunohistological procedures to enhance spatial resolution enabled mapping of cytokeratin patterns in various cell types at defined regions and levels of the rat nasal cavity using serial sections and a standardized evaluation schedule.