Telocytes in human epicardium

Abstract

The existence of the epicardial telocytes was previously documented by immunohistochemistry (IHC) or immunofluorescence. We have also demonstrated recently that telocytes are present in mice epicardium, within the cardiac stem-cell niches, and, possibly, they are acting as nurse cells for the cardiomyocyte progenitors. The rationale of this study was to show that telocytes do exist in human (sub)epicardium, too. Human autopsy hearts from 10 adults and 15 foetuses were used for conventional IHC for c-kit/CD117, CD34, vimentin, S-100, τ, Neurokinin 1, as well as using laser confocal microscopy. Tissue samples obtained by surgical biopsies from 10 adults were studied by digital transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Double immunolabelling for c-kit/CD34 and, for c-kit/vimentin suggests that in human beings, epicardial telocytes share similar immunophenotype features with myocardial telocytes. The presence of the telocytes in human epicardium is shown by TEM. Epicardial telocytes, like any of the telocytes are defined by telopodes, their cell prolongations, which are very long (several tens of μm), very thin (0.1–0.2 μm, below the resolving power of light microscopy) and with moniliform configuration. The interconnected epicardial telocytes create a 3D cellular network, connected with the 3D network of myocardial telocytes. TEM documented that telocytes release shed microvesicles or exocytotic multivesicular bodies in the intercellular space. The human epicardial telocytes have similar phenotype (TEM and IHC) with telocytes located among human working cardiomyocyte. It remains to be established the role(s) of telocytes in cardiac renewing/repair/regeneration processes, and also the pathological aspects induced by their ‘functional inhibition’, or by their variation in number. We consider telocytes as a real candidate for future developments of autologous cell-based therapy in heart diseases.

Telocytes of the mammary gland stroma

“…It was also repeatedly stated that TCs "nurse" stem cells (SCs) in the stem cell niches [15,31,32,47]. However, CD34, as well as CD117/c-kit, are well known markers of cells with different levels of stemness [44].…”

Quiescent satellite glial cells of the adult trigeminal ganglion

“…In general, stem and PCs have been identified and characterized in terms of molecular markers [24]. In such niches a distinctive class of stromal cells, the telocytes, usually positive for CD117/c-kit, were found "nursing" the stem cells [20]. Such c-kit-positive interstitial cells were also described in the human adult trigeminal ganglion [25].…”

“…Stem cells reside in stem cell niches, such as the muscle satellite cells niche, subepicardial stem cell niche, the CNS subventricular/subependymal zone, or the dental pulp stem cell niche [19][20][21][22][23]. In general, stem and PCs have been identified and characterized in terms of molecular markers [24].…”

A comprehensive guide to telocytes and their great potential in cardiovascular system

“…Moreover, there is a signifi cantly more numerous population of TCs in epicardium than in myocardium (33). Subepicardium and epicardium, in the part close to the coronary artery branching, are the locations of cardiac stem cell niches -the place where CSCs coexist with TCs and many other supporting cells (10,14,34). As for the valves, it is proven that TCs exist in human mitral, tricuspid and aortic valve (35).…”

“…In TEM, which is a gold standard for identifying TCs, they are defi ned as cells with Tps and other cellular structures typically located in cell body, presenting specifi c morphology (see above), which are located in interstitium, in extraepithelial space, between functional elements (for instance nerves or arteries) (5,10).…”