title: Basic fibroblast growth factor in rat brain: localization to glial gap junctions correlates with connexin43 distribution.
abstract: Light and electron microscope procedures and antibodies against basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) were used to study the immunohistochemical localization of bFGF in rat brain. Throughout all areas of the brain analyzed by LM including grey matter, white matter, ependyma, and leptomeninges bFGF-immunoreactivity consisted of punctate immunolabelling that had an appearance and heterogenous distribution nearly identical to that displayed by the gap junction protein connexin43. By immuno-EM, bFGF was localized to gap junctions between astrocytes. It appears that there is a physical association of bFGF with gap junctions composed of connexin43 and it is suggested that bFGF may exert a regulatory influence on intercellular communication at such junctions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kardami
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Nagy
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000166:cytology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D017630:Connexins; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000032:analysis*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007365:Intercellular Junctions / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D016253:Microscopy, Immunoelectron; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000166:cytology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009928:Organ Specificity; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D017630:Connexins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2