title: [Diagnostic neuropathology supported by immunohistochemistry].
abstract: There are various histological components in the central nervous system. When making a neuropathological diagnosis, it is difficult to identify each component. Recently, with the adoption of immunohistochemistry in diagnostic neuropathology, the identification of each component has become relatively easy. Immunohistochemistry is a useful method for staining objective tissues or cells employing the antigen-antibody reaction. Its specificity is very high. In the field of diagnostic neuropathology, immunohistochemical techniques have developed in the diagnosis of brain tumors. With the aid of immunohistochemistry, various findings have been obtained. At the present time, however, the number of available antibodies is rather restricted. As a result, accurate differentiation of microglia and brain macrophage is difficult, and the origin and definition of microglia and brain macrophages are controversial. In the near future, with further progress in immunohistochemical techniques, the number of antibodies will rapidly increase and their sensitivity should improve. When this is achieved, it will be possible to elucidate the pathophysiology of the central nervous system morphologically.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropathology, Kawasaki Medical School.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shirabe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017628:Microglia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D009836:Oligodendroglia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology