Immunohistochemistry in Diagnostic Veterinary Pathology

Johnston, Hazel M (1997) Immunohistochemistry in Diagnostic Veterinary Pathology. Master of Veterinary Medicine thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

Immunohistochemistry is the application of antigen-antibody interactions plus a detection system to tissue sections for the purpose of identifying and localising a given substance. Widely applied in the fields of research science and medical diagnostic pathology, immunohistochemistry is beginning to be used in diagnostic veterinary pathology and this work was performed to investigate the potential of the technique in assisting with certain histological challenges. Chapter one provides a broad technical introduction to immunohistochemistry, highlighting the strengths and pitfalls of the technique, and concludes with a literature review which focuses particularly on the rapidly expanding veterinary literature dealing with the use of immunohistochemical methods. Chapter two describes the use of specific antibodies to determine the cell of origin of thymic tumours in a variety of species. These commercially available antibodies were raised against human epitopes but were found to be effective on domestic animals. Immunohistochemistry was found to be invaluable in differentiating between thymic epithelial and lymphoid tumours. In chapter three antibodies to specific subclasses of cytokeratin were applied to canine tissues and found to be effective at localising different cytokeratins in normal canine skin and in a range of epithelial tumours. In chapter four the identification of a nuclear tumour suppressor gene protein, p53, by immunohistochemistry is described. Immunohistochemical detection of this protein indicates abnormal functional status of p53 which occupies a pivotal role in the cell's response to DNA damage. A panel of anti-human p53 antibodies were used on canine, equine and bovine tumours and very high levels of p53 protein expression were detected in equine squamous cell carcinomas.

• Item Type: Thesis (Master of Veterinary Medicine)
• Qualification Level: Masters
• Additional Information: Adviser: Hal Thompson
• Keywords: Veterinary science
• Date of Award: 1997
• Depositing User: Enlighten Team
• Unique ID: glathesis:1997-75238
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 19 Nov 2019 21:40
• Last Modified: 19 Nov 2019 21:40
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/75238