title: Ultrastructural identification of peripheral myelin proteins by a pre-embedding immunogold labeling method.
abstract: Ultrastructural immunolabeling of peripheral nervous system components is an important tool to study the relation between structure and function. Owing to the scarcity of certain antigens and the dense structure of the peripheral nerve, a pre-embedding technique is likely appropriate. After several investigations on procedures for pre-embedding immunolabeling, we propose a method that offers a good compromise between detection of antigenic sites and preservation of morphology at the ultrastructural level, and that is easy to use and suitable for investigations on peripheral nerve biopsies from humans. Pre-fixation by immersion in paraformaldehyde/glutaraldehyde is necessary to stabilize the ultrastructure. Then, ultrasmall gold particles with silver enhancement are advised. Antibodies against myelin protein zero and myelin basic protein were chosen for demonstration. The same technique was applied to localize a 35 kDa myelin protein.
authors.affiliation: Neuropathology Department, and Laboratoire de Neurobiologie des Affections de la Myéline, Université Victor Segalen-Bordeaux 2, Bordeaux, France.
authors.forename: Marie-Hélène
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Canron
authors.forename: Sandrine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bouillot
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Favereaux
authors.forename: Klaus G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Petry
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vital
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009185:Myelin Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D009185:Myelin Proteins