Abstract
Telocytes (TCs) have been identified in various animals. However, information on TCs in the embryos is still very limited. In this work, the developing skin of the silky fowl was sampled for TCs identification by histology, immunohistochemistry and transmission electron microscopy. In addition, morphological parameters of cutaneous TCs and their location relationships were measured using a morphometry software - ImageJ (FiJi). At the 12th, 16th and 20th day of incubation, in the embryonic skin, telocyte-like cells (TC-L) were observed in the dermis. TCs were PDGFRα+ at the 12th, 16th and 20th day of incubation, but showed CD34+ only at 20th day of incubation in the embryonic dermis. Ultrastructurally, TCs were observed in the dermis at all late embryonic developmental stages. TCs established the homocellular contacts/plasmalemmal adhesion with each other. TCs established heterocellular contacts with melanocytes at 20th day of incubation in the dermis. In addition, the intracellular microvesicles were present in the cytoplasm of TCs. The extracellular microvesicles/exosomes were in close proximity to the TCs. The results confirmed that the locations, immunophenotypes, structural characteristics and relationships of TCs, and revealed the developmental characteristics of cutaneous TCs in late silky fowl embryos.