Effect of glia maturation factor on glial fibrillary acidic protein and fibronectin: a comparative study on glioblasts and fibroblasts using immunofluorescence.
Glia maturation factor (GMF) was tested on separate cultures of glioblasts and fibroblasts isolated from the same rate fetuses. The astrocytic marker glial fibrillary acidic (GFA) protein and the fibroblast marker fibronectin were visualized with immunofluorescence. Before GMF stimulation, glioblasts showed only background fluorescence for GFA protein and fibronectin. After GMF stimulation, glioblasts showed intense fluorescence for GFA protein, especially in the processes and end-feet. GMF-stimulated glioblasts also showed a slight increase in intracellular fluorescence for fibronectin, mainly in the perinuclear cytoplasm but never in the process terminals. At no time was extracellular fibronectin observed in glioblast cultures. In contrast, fibroblast cultures formed an extensive extracellular network of fibronectin whether or not they were exposed to GMF. GFA protein never showed up in fibroblast cultures regardless of stimulation by GMF. The results indicate that GMF stimulates an increase of GFA protein in glial processes and confirms the astrocytic nature of these glioblasts.
D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D020904:Glia Maturation Factor; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
D005353:Fibronectins; D020904:Glia Maturation Factor; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins