Histochemical in situ identification of bovine embryonic blood cells reveals differences to the adult haematopoietic system and suggests a close relationship between haematopoietic stem cells and primordial germ cells.

Cryostat sections of bovine embryos of exactly known age (obtained from artificial insemination), ranging from 32 to 60 days post-insemination, were treated with a wide range of antibodies directed against cell surface antigens or lineage-specific factors in order to demonstrate different types of fetal blood cells and their precursors. An antibody specific to bovine c-kit (bk-1) stained not only presumptive haematopoietic stem cells in the dorsal aorta and the embryonic liver, but also a subpopulation of putative primordial germ cells in the gonadal anlage, the latter being further characterised by a positive labelling with the lectins STA, WFA and WGA and a histochemical reaction for alkaline phosphatase. The antibody against CD 45, commonly regarded as a pan-leukocyte marker, reacted in the bovine embryo with different types of blood cells, as well as with presumptive vasculogenetic cells and a subpopulation of putative primordial germ cells. CD 61 immunoreaction proved to be a useful tool for demonstrating megakaryocytopoiesis in the embryonic liver, in addition to the lumen of blood vessels and the mesonephros. Staining with BM-2 was restricted to a single population of medium-sized, round to oval cells, forming small groups within the parenchymal strands of the liver. Characterised furthermore by a U-shaped nucleus, this BM-2-positive cell type apparently represents a developmental stage in the granulopoietic lineage. B-lymphocytopoiesis in the bovine liver was detected with antibodies directed against WC-4 and IgM, but not until day 58 post-insemination. Using antibodies to CD 14, no positive results could be obtained in embryonic tissues, although anti-CD 14-positive macrophages were easily recognised in lymph nodes of adult bovines. The antibody against CD 68, however, identified two populations of primitive macrophages in our samples. One population was located in parenchymal strands of the embryonic liver, probably acting as nursing cells for haematopoietic foci, and the other was observed intravasally in the sinusoids of the liver, most probably representing primitive Kupffer cells.