Localization of nestin in amygdaloid kindled rat: an immunoelectron microscopic study.
BACKGROUND
Nestin is a class VI intermediate filament protein, expressed during early embryonic development in mammals. Postnatally, nestin and its mRNA are down-regulated and gradually disappear. Recently, nestin expression has been detected in the adult nervous system, and it has been suggested that this protein may be related to neurogenesis, although, its role in the mechanism of neurogenesis is not known.


METHODS
The present study examined the localization of nestin in CNS tissue of the amygdaloid kindled rat by light and electron microscopy.


RESULTS
Kindled animals showed nestin expression mainly in the piriform cortex and the perirhinal cortex. By light microscopy, nestin was shown to be expressed in astrocytes, neurons, and endothelial cells. Electron microscopy demonstrated nestin expression in endothelial cells, astrocytic perivascular end feet, the rare pericyte, neurons and oligodendrocytes.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that epilepsy causes widespread nestin expression in many cell types in the CNS, including non-neural cells.
Nakagawa
Toshitaka
T
Department of Neurobiology, Kagawa Medical University, Miki, Kagawa, Japan.
Miyamoto
Osamu
O
Janjua
Najma A
NA
Auer
Roland N
RN
Nagao
Seigo
S
Itano
Toshifumi
T
D000679:Amygdala / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D007696:Kindling, Neurologic / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D064231:Nestin; D020534:Parahippocampal Gyrus / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D014018:Tissue Distribution
D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C577486:Nes protein, rat; D064231:Nestin