Glial Fibrillary Acidic Antisera Research Articles

Regenerating dorsal roots and the nerve entry zone: An immunofluorescence study with neurofilament and laminin antisera

Dorsal spinal roots were crushed in 30 rats at the lumbar or thoracic level. Peripheral roots, nerve entry zone, and spinal cord were studied 3 to 5 weeks after operation by immunofluorescence with neurofilament, glial fibrillary acidic (GFA), and laminin antisera. As previously shown in sciatic nerve undergoing Wallerian degeneration, reactive Schwann cells forming the bands of Büngner stained intensely with laminin antisera. Within these bands bundles of regenerating axons were present as indicated by double staining with laminin and neurofilament antisera. With very few exceptions, regenerating axons were not observed in the laminin-negative intramedullary division of the root. This also appeared to be the case when the dome-shape protrusion of central nervous system tissue forming the intramedullary division was surrounded by regenerating fibers. Compared with GFA antisera, laminin antisera allowed a better identification of the boundary between the central and peripheral nervous systems. In the central nervous system only blood vessels were laminin-positive, whereas Schwann cells' processes were decorated by GFA antisera in peripheral roots, the staining being stronger in reactive Schwann cells.

Localization of desmin in cultured astrocytes and its distribution in relation to glial fibrillary acidic (GFA) protein

In dissociated cultures from newborn rat brain, it is shown that astrocytes which are positive with GFA antisera also stain with desmin antisera. However, the localization of these two proteins within the same cell seems to be different as revealed by double immunofluorescence employing both these antisera.

Immunohistological localization of desmin, the muscle-type 100 A filament protein, in rat astrocytes and Müller glia.

The distribution of glial fibrillary acidic (GFA) protein and desmin was compared in cryostat sections of rat brain, spinal cord, and eye by immunofluorescence and peroxidase-antiperoxidase (PAP) staining. Desmin antisera were raised to antigen purified from chicken gizzard. In rat brain and spinal cord, GFA protein and desmin were selectively localized in astrocytes. Neurons and axons were not stained. The only difference between GFA and desmin antisera was the staining of smooth muscle in small arteries with anti-desmin. It was only in retinal glia that a difference in the localization of the two proteins was apparent. As previously reported, only the glia limitans on the inner surface of the retina was demonstrated with GFA antisera in the normal eye. With anti-desmin Müller fibers spanning the whole thickness of the retina were stained. It is concluded that GFA and desmin form two distinct systems of 100 A filaments in astroglia, as previously reported for GFA and vimentin.

Filament proteins in rat optic nerves undergoing Wallerian degeneration: Localization of vimentin, the fibroblastic 100-Å filament protein, in normal and reactive astrocytes

A major polypeptide in the gliosed optic nerves of blinded rats was identified as vimentin, the fibroblastic, 100-Å filament protein typical of mesenchymal cells, by comigration experiments with purified vimentin on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The localization of vimentin to astrocytes was confirmed by immunofluorescence microscopy with vimentin antisera. The distribution of vimentin and of astrocyte-specific glial fibrillary acidic (GFA) protein in cryostat sections of rat brain and spinal cord was different. Vimentin was confined to the main processes of fibrous astrocytes and could not be identified in the delicate framework of glial fibrils demonstrated with GFA antisera. Bergmann radial glia in the molecular layer of the cerebellum were exceptional in this respect, because they were equally well stained with vimentin and GFA antisera.

The radial glia of Müller in the rat retina and their response to injury. An immunofluorescence study with antibodies to the glial fibrillary acidic (GFA) protein

The glial response to injury was studied in the rat retina by immunofluorescence with GFA antisera. In the normal rat only the glia limitans on the inner surface of the retina was positive by immunofluorescence. Following interruption of the optic nerve or multiple penetrating wounds of the eye the radial fibres of Müller became intensely stained. It is concluded that Müller glia are similar to brain astrocytes with respect to their reaction to injury, that is they accumulate GFA protein.