Nucleolin and Nucleoli in Ependymocytes and Tanycytes of the Third Ventricle of the Rat Brain

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to compare structure of the nucleoli of ependymocytes, tanycytes, and secretory cells of the subcommissural organ using immunohistochemical staining for nucleolin and confocal laser microscopy. The study was performed in samples from the diencephalon of adult male Wistar rats (n = 6). The samples were fixed in zinc–ethanol–formaldehyde, a fixative providing a high level of preservation of antigen determinants. In the present study, we estimated diameters of nucleoli and their number in various types of cells lining the third ventricle. We compared for the first time the nucleoli of different subpopulations of tanycytes and report data on the distribution of nucleolin protein in the cells lining the ventricles. The content and location of nucleolin reflect the functional state of the cell. Our data will promote understanding of the interrelationships between the indices of the nucleolar apparatus and the functional state of the cell under various conditions, including stress, neoplastic transformation, and other pathological conditions.