Glial immunoreactivity for metallothionein in the rat brain.
A series of frozen and vibratome coronal sections of the rat brain were examined by immunocytochemistry for the presence of a cysteine-rich metal binding protein, metallothionein (MT). Astrocytes throughout the brain and brainstem stained positively for MT; neurons and oligodendroglia were unstained. Ependymal cells and tanycyte processes in the hypothalamus were also immunoreactive, along with a narrow zone of immunopositivity along the margins of the area postrema. Gomori-positive astrocytes in the hypothalamus, identifiable by toluidine blue staining, metal-containing cytoplasmic granules, represented a subset of MT-positive astrocytes that may be involved in reactions to blood-borne metal compounds that penetrate into circumventricular organs of the brain.
Young
J K
JK
Department of Anatomy, Howard University, Washington, District of Columbia 20059.
Garvey
J S
JS
Huang
P C
PC
D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000378:metabolism*; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000378:metabolism*; D009836:Oligodendroglia / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D014018:Tissue Distribution
D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D008668:Metallothionein