Immunohistochemical study on neuroglia identified by the monoclonal antibody against a macrophage differentiation antigen (Mac-1).
We have studied frozen sections of the developing and adult mouse central nervous system (CNS), with or without cold lesions, by immunohistochemical and histochemical methods. Using a monoclonal antibody against a macrophage differentiation antigen (Mac-1), we have shown that some neuroglia in the white matter of adult mice stained positively. In the developing CNS, with or without cold lesioning, Mac-1-positive glia were not detected. In the normal adult CNS, a small number of glia in the white matter stained faintly. After cold injury, the number of Mac-1-positive glia and their staining intensity increased for several months. Mac-1-positive glia were always negative for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFA). Their morphology and distribution were similar to those of nucleoside diphosphatase-positive cells. Considering that the phagocytic activity of glia increases after injury to the CNS (Trachtenberg 1983) and that Mac-1 has been reported to be associated with the complement receptor (Beller et al. 1982), Mac-1-positive glia may play a role in phagocytosis in the damaged CNS.
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology*; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000276:immunology; D007120:Immunochemistry; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000276:immunology*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000941:Antigens; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein