title: 5'-Nucleotidase of cerebellar molecular layer: reduction in Purkinje cell-deficient mutant mice.
abstract: The molecular layer of the cerebellar cortex contains high levels of the enzyme 5'-nucleotidase (EC 3.1.3.5), localized predominantly to Bergmann glia. In the present study, histochemical methods have been employed to examine the distribution of cerebellar 5'-nucleotidase in mice of two separate mutant strains in which Purkinje cells are eliminated selectively. In homozygous 'Purkinje cell degeneration' (pcd) and 'nervous' (nr) mice, molecular layer 5'-nucleotidase is greatly reduced and residual enzyme activity in colocalized with surviving Purkinje cells. These results suggest strongly that the expression of 5'-nucleotidase activity by Bergmann glia is under the inductive influence of their associated Purkinje cells.
mesh_terms: D015720:5'-Nucleotidase; D000818:Animals; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology*; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006720:Homozygote; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008818:Mice, Neurologic Mutants / Q000378:metabolism*; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000201:enzymology; D009708:Nucleotidases / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D009708:Nucleotidases; D015720:5'-Nucleotidase