title: Immunohistochemical localization of S-100 protein subunits (alpha and beta) in dorsal root ganglia of the rat.
abstract: The distribution of S-100 protein and their subunits (alpha and beta) in lumbar dorsal root ganglia of adult rat was investigated immunohistochemically using monoclonal antibodies against the S-100 protein, alpha-subunit and beta-subunit of S-100 protein. The conventional S-100 protein antibody stained both neurons (large and intermediate in size; 20.3% and 41 +/- 3.2 microns of diameter) and glial cells (satellite cells and Schwann cells). The immunoreaction for the alpha-subunit was observed in the perikarya of some large and intermediate sized neurons (17.2%, 45.6 +/- 6.1 microns of diameter), satellite cells and Schwann cells, whereas the beta-subunit immunoreactivity was found principally in glial cells, and in a scarce number of large and intermediate sized neurons (2.8%, 43.3 +/- 5 microns of diameter) Our results demonstrate that a subpopulation of large and intermediate sized neurons of lumbar DRG contain alpha- and beta-subunits of S-100 protein, being alpha-subunit predominant. Furthermore, the satellite glial and Schwann cells contain also the two subunits but mainly beta-subunit. These data confirm previous studies about the presence of S-100 protein in neurons of the central and peripheral nervous system.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Morfología y Biología Celular, Medical Faculty, University of Oviedo, Spain.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Vega
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: del Valle-Soto
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Calzada
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Alvarez-Mendez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000737:chemistry*; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000737:chemistry; D009474:Neurons / Q000737:chemistry; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D009418:S100 Proteins