Immunohistochemical localization of connective tissue growth factor in the rat central nervous system.
Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is an immediate early growth-responsive gene but its distribution and significance in the central nervous system (CNS) are unknown. We investigated the distribution of CTGF-like immunoreactivity (CTGF-IR) in the rat CNS using a specific antiserum against CTGF oligopeptide. The majority of CTGF-IR was observed in astrocytes. Ependymal cells lining the wall of the cerebral ventricle and tanycytes lining the central canal of the spinal cord showed the strongest CTGF-IR, while there was a diffuse but weak signal in the gray matter of the spinal cord. CTGF-IR was also detected in the cytoplasm of a subpopulation of pyramidal neurons in the cerebral cortex. Our results showed that CTGF-IR is widely distributed in the CNS at both regional and cellular levels, suggesting a complex functional role in the CNS.
Department of Neuroscience, Institute of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Okayama University Medical School, 2-5-1 Shikatacho, Okayama 700-8558, Japan.
Y
Y
Kondo
T
T
Nakanishi
M
M
Takigawa
N
N
Ogawa
D000818:Animals; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D002552:Cerebral Ventricles / Q000378:metabolism; D055513:Connective Tissue Growth Factor; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000378:metabolism*; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008297:Male; D017966:Pyramidal Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D014018:Tissue Distribution / Q000502:physiology
C526316:CCN2 protein, rat; D006133:Growth Substances; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D055513:Connective Tissue Growth Factor