title: Localization of immunoreactive epidermal growth factor receptors in human nervous system.
abstract: Epidermal growth factor is a well-defined peptide which stimulates cell growth and elicits cell responses in a variety of tissues by binding to specific receptors, EGF-R. A specific antiserum against the EGF receptor, which has previously been used to characterize EGF-R in human skin, fibroblasts, and smooth muscle, was used to survey the distribution of EGF-R in human nervous system. Portions of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded autopsy specimens were examined by use of immunohistochemical staining (PAP technique) with EGF-R antiserum. Many types of nerve cells, e.g., cerebral cortical pyramidal cells, hippocampal pyramidal cells, Purkinje cells, anterior horn cells, and dorsal root ganglion neurons, contained immunoreactive EGF-R. However, immunoreactive EGF-R were not detected in astrocytes, oligodendrogliocytes, and other small neurons such as granule cells. Intense immunostaining for EGF-R was also detected in ependymal cells from choroidal and extrachoroidal locations. Although immunoreactive EGF-R is widely distributed in human nervous system, the functional role of EGF and its receptor in the nervous system remains unknown.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee.
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Werner
authors.forename: L B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Nanney
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Stoscheck
authors.forename: L E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: King
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000032:analysis; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000032:analysis; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000032:analysis; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000032:analysis*; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000032:analysis; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000032:analysis; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000032:analysis; D009420:Nervous System / Q000032:analysis*; D009836:Oligodendroglia / Q000032:analysis; D011689:Purkinje Cells / Q000032:analysis; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000032:analysis; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D066246:ErbB Receptors