title: NF-L and peripherin immunoreactivities define distinct classes of rat sensory ganglion cells.
abstract: Double immunofluorescence studies using antibodies against NF-L and peripherin revealed three distinct subpopulations of neurons in rat dorsal root ganglia (DRG). In the adult rat, 46% of the DRG neurons were small and peripherin-positive (NF-L-negative), and 48% were large and NF-L-positive (peripherin-negative). About 6% were both peripherin- and NF-L-positive. All of the DRG neurons reacted with antibodies to NF-M and nonphosphorylation-dependent or phosphorylation-independent antibodies to NF-H. The neuropeptides were predominantly found in the peripherin-positive small cell population. Eighty-seven percent of the peripherin-positive small cell population contained substance P immunoreactivity, while 43% of this cell population contained CGRP. In contrast, only 18-24% of the NF-L-positive large-cell population contained neuropeptides, and these were primarily in a smaller sized subpopulation. Similar patterns of antigen representation were observed in neonatal (PN2) DRG cell populations. Tissue cultures of sensory ganglion cells from PN2 DRG, in serum-free medium, stably maintained exclusively peripherin-positive neurons, with about 5% of these containing coexistent NF-L immunoreactivity. Very high levels of neuropeptide gene expression were exhibited by these postnatal neurons in culture.
authors.affiliation: Lab of Neurochemistry, NINDS, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Goldstein
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: House
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gainer
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide / Q000032:analysis; D002470:Cell Survival; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000166:cytology* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D007382:Intermediate Filaments / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000032:analysis; D064531:Peripherins; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins; D009479:Neuropeptides; D064531:Peripherins; C044882:neurofilament protein L; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide