title: Microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP 2) immunoreactivity in human fetal neocortex.
abstract: We used a monoclonal antibody to study the immunocytochemical distribution of microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP 2) in human fetal neocortex between the ages of 16 and 22 weeks gestation. The staining pattern was lamina-specific. Neuronal somata and dendrites in all cortical layers and in the intermediate zone were labelled. Cajal-Retzius cells of layer I, large pyramidal neurons in the inner cortical plate and neurons in the subplate were most strongly immunoreactive. Separate from the underlying cortical plate a thin sheet of small neurons in the inner marginal zone was highlighted by MAP 2 immunoreactivity. The morphologic diversity, density and regional distribution of the interstitial neurons in the subplate was emphasized by MAP 2 staining. In general, the intensity of MAP 2 immunoreactivity in cell somata and dendrites correlated with the degree of neuronal differentiation but the pattern of intracellular staining also varied as a function of laminar position, and presumably cell type.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Developmental Anatomy and Pathology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center, Waltham, MA 02154.
authors.forename: K B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Sims
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Crandall
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Kosik
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Williams
mesh_terms: D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology*; D005333:Fetus; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D008970:Molecular Weight
chemical_list: D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins