title: Proliferative activity in the frog brain: a PCNA-immunohistochemistry analysis.
abstract: By means proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) immunohistochemistry, we have provided a detailed neuroanatomical mapping of proliferative activity during development and adulthood in the frog (Rana esculenta) brain. Western blot analysis confirmed the presence of this protein in brain extracts from adults and tadpoles. Proliferative activity was observed in the ventricular and subventricular zones throughout the brain. The present study provides details as to which of the morphologically distinguishable brain region(s) has a long-lasting proliferative activity and in which region this activity undergoes a progressive decrease during development. In the subventricular zones of the third ventricle, PCNA-labeled cells were particularly abundant in the magnocellular preoptic nucleus and the ventromedial thalamic nucleus. It was observed that proliferation zones are present practically in all major subdivisions of the forebrain, midbrain and hindbrain, including the cerebellum in which PCNA-labeled cells were located in the outer granular layer and the inner molecular layer. The habenulae, epiphysis and isthmic nuclei never showed the presence of PCNA-immunoreactive nuclei. The widespread proliferative activity implies that the frog brain has a great potential for neurogenesis/gliogenesis not only during larval development but also in the adulthood.
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, Second University of Naples, 81100 Caserta, Italy.
authors.forename: Franca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Raucci
authors.forename: Maria M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Di Fiore
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pinelli
authors.forename: Biagio
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: D'Aniello
authors.forename: Luciano
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Luongo
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Polese
authors.forename: Rakesh K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Rastogi
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007814:Larva / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D011893:Rana esculenta / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen