Distribution of the calcium-binding proteins parvalbumin and calretinin in the auditory brainstem of adult and developing rats

Abstract

Parvalbumin (PV), calretinin (CR), and calbindin (CB) are calcium-binding proteins which are presumably involved in the regulation of the intracellular calcium concentration. Within the rat auditory system, CB is transiently expressed in several nuclei during the period of synapse refinement, indicating a specific function of CB during development, yet little is known in this regard about PV and CR. In order to gather more information about calcium-binding proteins during development, we analyzed the spatiotemporal distribution of PV and CR in the rat auditory brainstem using immunocytochemistry. In the adult, PV was heavily present in somata and neuropil of all nuclei and in fibers of all tracts. CR was found in somata of the cochlear nucleus and peripheral aspects of the inferior colliculus as well as in fibers extending into the superior olivary complex and the nuclei of the lateral lemniscus. The developmental expression of PV was characterized by a relatively late appearance in somata (at postnatal day 8), followed by a rapid increase to adult levels. In contrast, CR immunoreactivity was already strong two days before birth, yet the number and intensity of labeled neurons subsequently decreased and CR disappeared almost completely in the superior olivary complex, nuclei of the lateral lemniscus, and central aspects of the inferior colliculus. These data, together with those on CB, show that CR, CB, and PV are sequentially expressed during auditory brainstem development. They also suggest that the presence of the three proteins can be correlated with definite developmental stages.

Quantitative assessment of developing afferent patterns in the cat inferior colliculus revealed with calbindin immunohistochemistry and tract tracing methods

“…auditory brainstem nuclei, Lohmann and Friauf, 1996;striatum, Liu and Graybiel, 1992;vocal nuclei, Braun et al, 1988; barrel fields of somatosensory cortex, Melvin and Dyck, 2003). In particular, calcium-binding proteins are differentially distributed within LSO during development with calretinin-immunostaining being present at high levels in core LSO neurons that project to the contralateral IC and calbindin (and parvalbumin) being present in shell LSO neurons that project to the ipsilateral IC (Henkel and Brunso-Bechtold, 1998).…”

“…Furthermore, in some instances, their expression is regulated developmentally (e.g. Lohmann and Friauf, 1996;Liu and Graybiel, 1992;Braun et al, 1988).…”

“…Furthermore, in some instances, their expression is regulated developmentally (e.g. Lohmann and Friauf, 1996;Liu and Graybiel, 1992;Braun et al, 1988).In this paper, we present analysis of the organization and postnatal development of an axonal plexus or compartment in the cat CNIC that is neurochemically defined by its CBimmunoreactivity. The spatial pattern of the CB-immunostained axons in the CNIC is compared in neonatal and adult animals with anterograde labeling of a banded projection from the lateral superior olivary nucleus (LSO) to the CNIC (Shneiderman and Henkel, 1987).…”

Similar Intracellular Ca2+Requirements for Inactivation and Facilitation of Voltage-Gated Ca2+Channels in a Glutamatergic Mammalian Nerve Terminal

“…Facilitation of presynaptic Ca 2ϩ influx during brief high-frequency AP bursts may counteract synaptic depression caused by vesicle depletion and/or postsynaptic desensitization. On the other hand, clearance of Ca 2ϩ accelerates with development (Chuhma and Ohmori, 2001) and the expression of calcium-binding proteins strongly increases (Lohmann and Friauf, 1996;Felmy and Schneggenburger, 2004) which may significantly limit the impact of CDI in the mature calyx of Held.…”

Different protein profiles in inferior colliculus and cerebellum: A comparative proteomic study

“…In contrast, only a faint expression of calbindin was shown in the IC (Celio, 1990;Friauf, 1994;Tardif et al, 2003). Calretinin expression is present in the IC, but restricted mainly to the dorsal cortex and the commissure, and down-regulated with age (Lohmann and Friauf, 1996;Zettel et al, 1997). Thus, our proteomic data match with protein expression data obtained with classical methods.…”