Glial cytoarchitecture in the central nervous system of the soft-shell turtle, Trionyx sinensis, revealed by intermediate filament immunohistochemistry

2006 ◽  
Vol 211 (5) ◽  
pp. 497-506 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maurizio Lazzari ◽  
Valeria Franceschini
Author(s):  
Albee Messing

Abstract Background Alexander disease is caused by dominantly acting mutations in glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), the major intermediate filament of astrocytes in the central nervous system. Main body In addition to the sequence variants that represent the origin of disease, GFAP accumulation also takes place, together leading to a gain-of-function that has sometimes been referred to as “GFAP toxicity.” Whether the nature of GFAP toxicity in patients, who have mixtures of both mutant and normal protein, is the same as that produced by simple GFAP excess, is not yet clear. Conclusion The implications of these questions for the design of effective treatments are discussed.


1999 ◽  
Vol 145 (3) ◽  
pp. 503-514 ◽  
Author(s):  
Milos Pekny ◽  
Clas B. Johansson ◽  
Camilla Eliasson ◽  
Josefina Stakeberg ◽  
Åsa Wallén ◽  
...  

In response to injury of the central nervous system, astrocytes become reactive and express high levels of the intermediate filament (IF) proteins glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), vimentin, and nestin. We have shown that astrocytes in mice deficient for both GFAP and vimentin (GFAP−/−vim−/−) cannot form IFs even when nestin is expressed and are thus devoid of IFs in their reactive state. Here, we have studied the reaction to injury in the central nervous system in GFAP−/−, vimentin−/−, or GFAP−/−vim−/− mice. Glial scar formation appeared normal after spinal cord or brain lesions in GFAP−/− or vimentin−/− mice, but was impaired in GFAP−/−vim−/− mice that developed less dense scars frequently accompanied by bleeding. These results show that GFAP and vimentin are required for proper glial scar formation in the injured central nervous system and that some degree of functional overlap exists between these IF proteins.


Development ◽  
1986 ◽  
Vol 97 (1) ◽  
pp. 201-223
Author(s):  
S. F. Godsave ◽  
B. H. Anderton ◽  
C. C. Wylie

Antibodies against various intermediate filament proteins have been used to follow cell differentiation in the early Xenopus embryo. Three new monoclonal antibodies against Xenopus cytokeratins raised against Triton-insoluble material from tadpoles (RD35/2a, RD35/3a and D3/3a), two antibodies against mammalian cytokeratins (LE65 and LP3K), monoclonal anti-(rat 200K neurofilament protein), rabbit anti-(rat glial filament acidic protein), and rabbit antibodies to hamster and calf vimentin were used. We show that cytokeratins are present in the early central nervous system (CNS) and persist in the ependymal cells of the adult CNS. We also show that the notochord contains cytokeratin. The ontogeny of intermediate filament protein appearance in the CNS, skin and notochord between neural fold stage and swimming tadpole stage are described. These results are discussed in particular with regard to the use of the antibodies as differentiation markers.


Author(s):  
Gladys Harrison

With the advent of the space age and the need to determine the requirements for a space cabin atmosphere, oxygen effects came into increased importance, even though these effects have been the subject of continuous research for many years. In fact, Priestly initiated oxygen research when in 1775 he published his results of isolating oxygen and described the effects of breathing it on himself and two mice, the only creatures to have had the “privilege” of breathing this “pure air”.Early studies had demonstrated the central nervous system effects at pressures above one atmosphere. Light microscopy revealed extensive damage to the lungs at one atmosphere. These changes which included perivascular and peribronchial edema, focal hemorrhage, rupture of the alveolar septa, and widespread edema, resulted in death of the animal in less than one week. The severity of the symptoms differed between species and was age dependent, with young animals being more resistant.


Author(s):  
John L.Beggs ◽  
John D. Waggener ◽  
Wanda Miller ◽  
Jane Watkins

Studies using mesenteric and ear chamber preparations have shown that interendothelial junctions provide the route for neutrophil emigration during inflammation. The term emigration refers to the passage of white blood cells across the endothelium from the vascular lumen. Although the precise pathway of transendo- thelial emigration in the central nervous system (CNS) has not been resolved, the presence of different physiological and morphological (tight junctions) properties of CNS endothelium may dictate alternate emigration pathways.To study neutrophil emigration in the CNS, we induced meningitis in guinea pigs by intracisternal injection of E. coli bacteria.In this model, leptomeningeal inflammation is well developed by 3 hr. After 3 1/2 hr, animals were sacrificed by arterial perfusion with 3% phosphate buffered glutaraldehyde. Tissues from brain and spinal cord were post-fixed in 1% osmium tetroxide, dehydrated in alcohols and propylene oxide, and embedded in Epon. Thin serial sections were cut with diamond knives and examined in a Philips 300 electron microscope.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document