Alpha isoform of smooth muscle actin is expressed in astrocytes in vitro and in vivo.
We have previously reported that astroglial cell lines derived from spontaneously immortalized mouse cerebellar cultures as well as primary astrocyte cultures express the mRNA of the alpha isoform of smooth muscle actin. In this report, we have used an antiserum specific for the alpha smooth muscle actin protein to investigate the presence and the pattern of expression of alpha smooth muscle actin protein at the cellular level with immunocytochemical methods. The results show that an anti-smooth muscle vessels alpha actin antiserum labels a typical actin network in the D19 astroglial cell clone and in flat astrocytes of primary cultures derived from various CNS regions of embryonic and postnatal mice. Furthermore, this antiserum labels distinct populations of astrocytes in the adult mouse brain, in particular in the corpus callosum and the fornix. However, in the corpus callosum, astrocytic processes are strongly labeled by anti-SMV alpha actin antibodies only in parasagittal planes. Thus, alpha smooth muscle actin represents a new marker for subsets of astrocytes.
Lecain
E
E
Centre De Biologie Cellulaire, UPR 3101, C.N.R.S., Ivry Sur Seine, France.
Alliot
F
F
Laine
M C
MC
Calas
B
B
Pessac
B
B
D000199:Actins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D002460:Cell Line; D003337:Corpus Callosum / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000378:metabolism*; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000378:metabolism
D000199:Actins