Developmental changes in the amount of glial fibrillary acidic protein in three regions of the rat brain

Abstract:The localization of two forms of the y subunit of G proteins, yãnd y12, was examined in the mammalian brain. Concentrations of these two y subunits increased markedly, as did those of glial fibrillary acidic protein, during postnatal development in the rat cerebral cortex. In aged human brains, by contrast, the concentration of ytended to decrease with age, whereas that of 712 in the temporal cortex increased slightly. An immunohistochemical study of human brains revealed that 73 was abundant in the neuropil, whereas 712 was localized in glial cells. In the hippocampal formation of aged human brains, levels of y12-positive cells, as well as levels of glial fibrillary acidic protein-and vimentin-positive astrocytes, increased, in particular in the CAl subfield and the prosubiculum, in which there was a decrease in the number of pyramidal cells. The appearance of y12-positive cells associated with the loss of pyramidal cells was also observed in the hippocampus of rats that had been treated with kainic acid. These results indicate that 712 is strongly expressed in reactive astrocytes. In a study of cultured neural cells, we found that 712 was predominant in glioma cells, such as C6 and GA-i cells, in contrast with the specific localization of y~in PC12 pheochromocytoma cells, which are neuron-like cells. Taken together, the results indicate that y~and 712 are selectively expressed in neuronal and glial cells, respectively, and that concentrations of y~and 712 in the brain are related to the numbers and/or extent of maturation of these cells.

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“…The concentration of GFAP, a marker of astrocytes, also increased after birth (Fig. 2), as reported previously (Weir et al, 1984).…”

Section: Changes With Development In Levels Of 712 In the Rat Cerebrasupporting

confidence: 71%

Differential Localization of the γ₃ and γ₁₂ Subunits of G Proteins in the Mammalian Brain

Morishita

Saga

Kawamura

et al. 1997

Journal of Neurochemistry

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“…The present immunocytochemical find ings in serum-free aggregating cell cultures of fetal rat telencephalon, showing an early progressive increase of structures immunoreactive for GFAP, vimentin, NSE, and NF are in good agreement with studies in vivo, where a developmental increase in immunoreactivity has been shown for GFAP [Dahl and Bignami, 1976;Dahl et al, 1981;Weir et al, 1984], vimentin [Schnitzer et al, 1981], NSE [Yoshida et al, 1983;Nishimura et al, 1985], and NF [Shaw and Weber, 1982]. The decrease of vimentin expression observed in highly differentiated cultures is also in accord with observations in vivo [Dahl et al, 1981;Bignami et al, 1982;Pixley and de Vellis, 1984], Furthermore, the number of GC immunoreactive cells increased with time in cul ture, reflecting oligodendrocyte maturation and myelin formation, as described by Monge et al [1986] in freshly dissociated cells of fetal and perinatal rat brains.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 75%

Influence of Epidermal Growth Factor on the Maturation of Fetal Rat Brain Cells in Aggregate Culture

Monnet‐Tschudi

Honegger²

1989

Dev Neurosci

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Maturation of astrocytes, neurons, and oligodendrocytes was studied in serum-free aggregating cell cultures of fetal rat telencephalon by an immunocytochemical approach. Cell type-specific immunofluorescence staining was examined by using antibodies directed against glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and vimentin, two astroglial markers; neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and neurofilament (NF), two neuronal markers, and galactocerebroside (GC), an oligodendroglial marker. It was found that the cellular maturation in aggregates is characterized by distinct developmental increases in immunoreactivity for GFAP, vimentin, NSE, NF, and GC, and by a subsequent decrease of vimentin-positive structures in more differentiated cultures. These findings are in agreement with observations in vivo, and they corroborate previous biochemical studies of this histotypic culture system. Treatment of very immature cultures with a low dose of epidermal growth factor (EGF, 5 ng/ml) enhanced the developmental increase in GFAP, NSE, NF and GC immunoreactivity, suggesting an acceleration of neuronal and glial maturation. In addition, EGF was found to alter the cellular organization within the aggregates, presumably by influencing cell migration.

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“…obs. ), and staining of sections through the olfactory bulbs of adult rats produced a pattern of GFAP immunoreactivity that was identical with previous descriptions (see Weir et al, 1984). 6) Monoclonal antihuman desmin IgG (1:500) was purchased from DakoCytomation (Cat.…”

Section: Immunofluorescencementioning

confidence: 93%

Olfactory ensheathing cells express smooth muscle α‐actin in vitro and in vivo

Jahed

Rowland

McDonald

et al. 2007

J of Comparative Neurology

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One strategy for spinal cord repair after injury that has moved quickly from the research laboratory to the clinic is the implantation of olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs). These unique glial cells of the olfactory system have been associated with axonal remyelination and regeneration after grafting into spinalized animals. Despite these promising observations, there remains a lack of direct empirical evidence of the exact fate of OECs after intraspinal implantation, in large part because of a surprising paucity of defined biomarkers that unequivocally distinguish these cells from phenotypically similar Schwann cells. Here we provide direct neurochemical proof that OECs, both in vitro and in vivo, express smooth muscle alpha-actin. That OECs synthesize this contractile protein (and a variety of actin-binding proteins including caldesmon) provides compelling evidence that these cells are, in fact, quite different from Schwann cells. The identification of several smooth muscle-related proteins in OECs points to a new appreciation of the structural and functional features of this population of olfactory glia. These biomarkers can now be used to elucidate the fate of OECs after intraspinal implantation, in particular assessing whether smooth muscle alpha-actin-expressing OECs are capable of facilitating axon remyelination and regeneration.

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Developmental changes in the amount of glial fibrillary acidic protein in three regions of the rat brain

Cited by 54 publications

References 21 publications

Differential Localization of the γ₃ and γ₁₂ Subunits of G Proteins in the Mammalian Brain

Differential Localization of the γ₃ and γ₁₂ Subunits of G Proteins in the Mammalian Brain

Influence of Epidermal Growth Factor on the Maturation of Fetal Rat Brain Cells in Aggregate Culture

Olfactory ensheathing cells express smooth muscle α‐actin in vitro and in vivo

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Developmental changes in the amount of glial fibrillary acidic protein in three regions of the rat brain

Cited by 54 publications

References 21 publications

Differential Localization of the γ3 and γ12 Subunits of G Proteins in the Mammalian Brain

Differential Localization of the γ3 and γ12 Subunits of G Proteins in the Mammalian Brain

Influence of Epidermal Growth Factor on the Maturation of Fetal Rat Brain Cells in Aggregate Culture

Olfactory ensheathing cells express smooth muscle α‐actin in vitro and in vivo

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Differential Localization of the γ₃ and γ₁₂ Subunits of G Proteins in the Mammalian Brain

Differential Localization of the γ₃ and γ₁₂ Subunits of G Proteins in the Mammalian Brain