LOCALIZATION OF α-FETOPROTEIN IN HUMAN AND RAT FETAL LIVERS AN IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL METHOD USING HORSERADISH PEROXIDASE

Abstract

α-Fetoprotein (AFP) was successfully demonstrated in paraffin-embedded sections of human and rat fetal livers, by a multilayering immunohistochemical technique using the peroxidase-antiperoxidase system. Serial sections simultaneously subjected to immunofluorescence showed identical sites of localization in hepatocytic cytoplasm and sometimes in perivenous connective tissue. AFP-containing hepatocytes were located around efferent veins as well as randomly in the lobule. The immunoperoxidase technique has certain advantages over the immunofluorescence method which would justify the former's application in studies on the dynamics of AFP synthesis.