Background: The liver represents the major organ that participates in the elimination and degradation of arachidonic acid
of systemic origin. This study is one of few types of research that studied the detailed expression of cyclooxygenase in the
hepatocytes and other cells in liver tissue at different stages of maturation.
Aim: The present study is concerned with exploring and compare the developmental expression of cyclooxygenase (COX-1,
COX-2, and COX-3) in the liver tissue using immunohistochemical techniques. This will open the future for a new rationale
of the optimal therapeutic use of COX in liver diseases.
Materials and Methods: A total number of 8 embryos and 40 rats at different ages postnatal were used. The prenatal rats were
18 days old of gestation while the postnatal rats were at 1, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days old.
Results: The results showed that, in liver cells, the expression of COX isoforms was scientifically changed with the development
of the liver tissue. COX-1 and COX-2 immunostaining were noticed to be the same in some ages however, the COX-1
expression resembled the COX-3 expression in other ages.
Conclusion: It can conclude the expression of three types of COX isoforms in liver tissue played an important role in the
development and maturation of different cells population either through prostaglandin production or a novel gene production.
Nuclear localization of COX in the hepatocytes arises a lot of questions about the role of COX in the enhancement of liver
division and maturation.