The proteoglycan chondroitin sulfate is present in a subpopulation of cultured astrocytes and in their precursors.
We have used an antibody raised against the bovine nasal cartilage proteoglycan chondroitin sulfate (CS) digested with chondroitinase ABC (anti-CS serum) to stain cerebellar glial cells maintained in culture. In cultures grown in the presence of serum, the antibody stained a subclass of GFAP+ astrocytes which we have previously shown to selectively bind the monoclonal antibodies A2B5 and LB1. Also the direct bipotential precursors of these cells, capable of differentiating into GFAP+ astrocytes or into Gal-C+, O1+ oligodendrocytes depending on the culture conditions, were stained, but stopped to produce CS when they differentiated into oligodendrocytes.
D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000166:cytology*; D002807:Chondroitin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D002809:Chondroitin Sulfates / Q000032:analysis*; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D051381:Rats
D000906:Antibodies; D002807:Chondroitin; D002809:Chondroitin Sulfates