Developmentally regulated epitopes on a neurofilament protein visualized by monoclonal antibodies.
Two monoclonal antibodies (mabs) which recognized the 68 kDa subunit of the rat neurofilament triplet were isolated. In immunoblots with SDS-solubilized and reduced proteins, these mabs recognized their epitopes equally well in embryonic and in adult tissue. However, these epitopes were developmentally regulated in paraformaldehyde-fixed rat brain sections. They were abundant in all compartments of differentiating neurons, whereas in mature neurons their presence was markedly attenuated, with a moderate abundance in perikarya and larger dendrites and low concentrations in axons. Thus, a differential developmental modification, possibly involving the masking of an epitope, is demonstrated for the small neurofilament polypeptide in rat and monkey brain tissue.
Thorey
I
I
Department of Neurobiologie, Max-Planck-Institut für Biophysikalische Chemie, Göttingen F.R.G.
Seifert
W
W
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000378:metabolism*; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D000939:Epitopes; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D008970:Molecular Weight; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins; D051381:Rats
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000939:Epitopes; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins