Unusual ubiquitin-positive glial cells in the globus pallidus of normal elderly human brains.
Unusual glial cells, inconspicuous in routine histological sections, were demonstrated in the globus pallidus using immunohistochemistry for anti-ubiquitin and a modified NOR-silver impregnation technique. These cells were identified as astrocytes and showed the following unusual features: (i) presence of intracytoplasmic vacuoles; (ii) immunoreactivity for ubiquitin; (iii) positive staining with a modified NOR-silver impregnation technique; and (iv) topographical location restricted to the globus pallidus. Quantitative analyses showed the numerical density of these cells to be significantly increased with normal ageing, whereas the presence of the cells was not related to pathological ageing or any other disease process. The data suggest that, not only in neurons but also in glial cells, accumulations of altered proteins can be found, which is probably due to a decline in the proteolytic activity of the cell.
Abe
H
H
Institute of Neuropathology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany.
Mehraein
P
P
Weis
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D005260:Female; D005917:Globus Pallidus / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D006801:Humans; D007120:Immunochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000648:ultrastructure; D016622:Silver Staining; D014452:Ubiquitins
D014452:Ubiquitins