A study on the immunocytochemical localization of neurofascin in rat sciatic nerve.
We examined the localization of neurofascin (NF) in the sciatic nerve of rat. In the myelinated fibers, neurofascin localizes strongly in the nodal axolemma except the small central cleft and also expresses in the paranodes, and weakly in the Schmidt-Lanterman incisures. In the paranodes, NF localizes around the axolemma and it expresses in the apposing membrane of paranodal loops. Axoplasm, compact myelin and cytoplasm of Schwann cell do not express NF at all. In the Schmidt-Lanterman incisures, NF is expressed weakly along the Schwann cell membrane. We propose that neurofascin may be a plasmalemmal integral protein of Schwann cell in the paranode and plays some important roles for the maintenance of axo-glial junctions at the paranode. It may also have some roles for maintaining the structure of Schmidt-Lanterman incisure and have some relations with proteins localizing in the node.
Chang
B J
BJ
Department of Anatomy and Histology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Konkuk University, Seoul 143-701, Korea. bjchang@konkuk.ac.kr
Cho
I J
IJ
Brophy
P J
PJ
D000818:Animals; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000032:analysis* / Q000502:physiology; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D016253:Microscopy, Immunoelectron; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000032:analysis* / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure
D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; C504594:Nfasc protein, rat