Immunocytochemical Studies of Astrocytes in Normal Development and Disease

Abstract

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the immunocytochemical studies of astrocytes in normal development and disease. The most prominent feature of astrocytic gliosis is gliofibrillogenesis, the production of glial filaments. Considerable evidence indicates that the glial fibrillary acidic (GFA) protein first isolated from multiple sclerosis plaques is the main protein constituent of the glial filaments. Recent advances in understanding of glial filaments and GFA protein-containing cells are mainly because of the development of specific and avid antiserum to the GFA protein. The use of GFA antiserum has proven useful in retrospective and prospective studies of human brain tumors, especially in assisting the diagnosis of difficult brain tumors, and has provided new insight into the function of GFA protein, glial filaments, and glial cells. The chapter discusses the collective experience with GFA antibodies in the study of glial filaments and GFA protein-containing cells in normal development and in disease. It discusses the relation of glial filaments to neurofilaments and microtubules. The chapter describes GFA protein immunocytochemistry and retrospective pathology.