title: Subcellular localization of an intermediate filament protein and its mRNA in glial cells.
abstract: Eucaryotic mRNAs are generally localized in the cell body, where most protein synthesis occurs. We have found that mRNAs encoding the glial intermediate filament protein are spatially distributed in the glial cell cytoplasm close to the location of the glial filaments. Whereas the glial filament protein mRNA was located predominantly in the distal process, actin mRNA was found almost exclusively in the apical portion of the glial cell. This pattern of mRNA localization might provide a mechanism for synthesis of proteins in specific subcellular compartments by mRNA translation locally.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle 98195.
authors.forename: P V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Sarthy
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000032:analysis; D001345:Autoradiography; D002451:Cell Compartmentation; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D015342:DNA Probes; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000032:analysis*; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D012160:Retina / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D015342:DNA Probes; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D012333:RNA, Messenger