Infraorbital nerve transection and whisker follicle removal in adult rats affect microglia and astrocytes in the trigeminal brainstem. A study with lipocortin1- and S100beta-immunohistochemistry.
Transections of the infraorbital nerve in adult rats resulted in progressive alterations of microglia identified by Lipocortinl immunoreactivity at the sites where the primary afferents terminate, i.e. in the trigeminal brainstem sensory nuclei. Microglia proliferated three- to four-fold. Their cell bodies enlarged and their processes thickened. Microglial responses were similar to the removal of whisker follicles. However, they were restricted to discrete nuclear subregions that matched with the known whisker somatotopy. Astrocytes identified by S100beta immunoreactivity showed minor increases in size and in population density. No microglial or astrocytic reactions were found in the second and third synaptic relays of the somatosensory pathway. Because both types of lesion reportedly lead to the reorganization of primary afferents, our results establish the two experimental designs as valuable tools to elucidate the role of microglia and Lipocortin1 in adult brain plasticity.
Melzer
P
P
Department of Cell Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.
Zhang
M Z
MZ
McKanna
J A
JA
D000818:Animals; D017305:Annexin A1 / Q000378:metabolism; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D048429:Cell Size / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D017628:Microglia / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000502:physiology; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D014276:Trigeminal Nerve / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D014738:Vibrissae / Q000502:physiology*
D017305:Annexin A1; D009418:S100 Proteins