title: Is nestin a marker for chemosensory precursor cells?
abstract: The vomeronasal and olfactory systems are unique in that their chemosensory neurons undergo continuous neurogenesis after development. Immunoreactivity to nestin, a neuronal precursor marker protein, was investigated in the developing rat vomeronasal organ to determine its potential as a cell marker. From postnatal day 1 (P1) to P22, the distribution of nestin positive cells became progressively restricted to the area adjacent to the basement membrane. By P29, the vomeronasal organ reached structural maturity and only a few nestin positive cells were observed. Results suggest that nestin may be a useful marker for neuronal precursor cells in studies of neurogenesis and development of chemosensory systems.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond 23298-0551, USA.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Osada
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ichikawa
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Costanzo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology; D002628:Chemoreceptor Cells / Q000737:chemistry*; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology*; D009300:Nasal Septum / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D064231:Nestin; D009833:Olfactory Pathways / Q000737:chemistry; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C577486:Nes protein, rat; D064231:Nestin