Expression of desmin gene in skeletal and smooth muscle by in situ hybridization using a human desmin gene probe

We have used a probe encoding for the human desmin gene to study the expression of the desmin gene in skeletal and smooth muscle by in situ hybridization. In human skeletal muscle, the results showed a strong and homogeneous level of desmin mRNA contrasting with the faintly immunostaining of the desmin protein. In smooth muscle cells of colon and uterus, in situ hybridization and immunofluorescence staining suggests that there are some cells which do not contain desmin. The optimal condition of desmin mRNA detection was in cryostat sections fixed with paraformaldehyde and in paraffin embedded tissue with the same fixative. The human desmin probe can be used as a marker of cell differentiation and a way to study the regulation of the expression of the desmin gene in pathological events.