title: Problems encountered when immunocytochemistry is used for quantitative glial cell identification in autoradiographic studies of cell proliferation in the brain of the unlesioned adult mouse.
abstract: We have used sections of adult mouse brain to determine whether antibodies specific for oligodendroglia (anti-carbonic anhydrase II, CA II; anti-galactocerebroside, GC; anti-myelin basic protein, MBP) and astroglia (anti-glial fibrillary acidic protein, GFAP; anti-S 100 protein) are suitable for quantitative studies of the proliferation and subsequent differentiation of these cells. Unlesioned adult mice received a single injection of 3H-thymidine (TdR) and were killed between 1 h and 70 days later. Quantitative evaluations of autoradiographs of 2-microns-thick serial sections stained immunocytochemically with the antibodies mentioned above or with Richardson's method for histological control led to the following conclusions. Anti-GC and anti-MBP stained only the oligodendrocytic processes and, thus, cannot be used in well-myelinated brain areas. Anti-CA II stained only a portion of the differentiated oligodendrocytes, but no proliferating cells. Anti-S 100 protein recognized all the astrocytes, but also many (interfascicular) oligodendrocytes. Anti-GFAP stained only a few astrocytes in the unlesioned mouse; all astrocytes may become GFAP-immunopositive only after wounding the brain. Thus, in contrast to in vitro studies, immunocytochemical studies with these antibodies on sections of adult animals cannot be recommended for the quantitative analysis of cell proliferation. In addition, our results show that differentiated glial cells proliferate in adult mice. Astro- and oligodendrocytes divide with the same cell cycle parameters and mode of proliferation up to about 1 month after 3H-TdR injection. In contrast to oligodendrocytes, some astrocytes might re-enter the cycle after a few weeks of quiescence.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Anatomy, RWTH Aachen, Germany.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Korr
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Horsmann
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schürmann
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Delaunoy
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Labourdette
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016477:Artifacts; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D001345:Autoradiography / Q000379:methods; D015415:Biomarkers; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology*; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000473:pathology; D002256:Carbonic Anhydrases / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D002453:Cell Cycle; D002455:Cell Division; D004261:DNA Replication; D005698:Galactosylceramidase / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D009836:Oligodendroglia / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D013936:Thymidine; D014316:Tritium
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D009418:S100 Proteins; D014316:Tritium; D005698:Galactosylceramidase; D002256:Carbonic Anhydrases; D013936:Thymidine