title: Fluoro-Jade: novel fluorochromes for detecting toxicant-induced neuronal degeneration.
abstract: Two anionic fluorescein derivatives can be used for the simple and definitive localization of neuronal degeneration in brain tissue sections. Initial work on the first generation fluorochrome, Fluoro-Jade, demonstrated the utility of this compound for the detection of neuronal degeneration induced by a variety of well-characterized neurotoxicants, including kainic acid, 3-nitropropionic acid, isoniazid, ibogaine, domoic acid, and dizocilpine maleate (MK-801). After validation, the tracer was used to reveal previously unreported sites of neuronal degeneration associated with 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP), methamphetamine, and d-fenfluramine. Preliminary findings with a second generation fluorescein derivative, Fluoro-Jade B, suggest that this tracer results in staining of optimal contrast and resolution in animals dosed with kainic acid. These 2 tracers can be combined with other histologic methods, including immunofluoresence and fluorescent Nissl stains. Recent preliminary findings on a number of specialized applications of Fluoro-Jade include the detection of apoptosis, amyloid plaques, astrocytes, and dead cells in tissue culture.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurotoxicology, National Center for Toxicological Research, Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, Arkansas 72079-9502, USA.
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Schmued
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Hopkins
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000473:pathology; D001370:Axonal Transport / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D001369:Axons / Q000473:pathology; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D008297:Male; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology*; D020258:Neurotoxicity Syndromes / Q000473:pathology*; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000633:toxicity*; D017096:Prion Diseases / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D009498:Neurotoxins