GFA-protein gene expression on the astroglia in cow and rat brains.
The distribution of messenger RNA for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFA-protein) of cow and rat brains was studied by an in situ hybridization technique using a tritium-labeled cDNA probe and autoradiography. The results were compared to the findings of GFA-protein immunohistochemistry. The signals of GFA-protein mRNA were detected on the perikaryal cytoplasm of astroglia observed in the following areas: the subpial area and the white matter of the cerebrum and cerebellum of the cow and the rat; gray matter of cow spinal cord; the thalamus, pontine reticular formation and white matter of the rat brainstem. All of these areas contain astroglia which are strongly positive for GFA-protein immunohistochemistry. On the other hand, we could detect no GFA-protein mRNA-positive glial cells in the areas where astroglia are negative for this immunostaining. These results indicate that the regional differences in the amount of GFA-protein in astroglia depend primarily on the degree of expression of their GFA-protein gene.
Kitamura
T
T
Department of Pathology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Japan.
Nakanishi
K
K
Watanabe
S
S
Endo
Y
Y
Fujita
S
S
D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D002417:Cattle; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D005796:Genes; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000235:genetics*; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D051381:Rats; D013045:Species Specificity; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D004247:DNA