title: Clarification of the peripherally located F-actin network around the primary afferent neurons.
abstract: The primary afferent neurons are enriched for F-actin in the peripheries, giving rise to ring-like appearances when stained with fluorescence probes for actin. A variety of data, mainly obtained from in vitro experiments, suggested that the satellite cell (SC) envelopes around sensory neurons may be a candidate for the F-actin positive structures. However, immunohistochemical studies on dorsal root ganglia (DRGs) suggested that F-actin was located exclusively within the cortical regions of the sensory neurons. Given this discrepancy, the present study has reexamined the distribution of F-actin in the DRGs at both the fluorescence light and electron microscopic levels. Double staining of F-actin with S-100 beta and neural cell adhesion molecule showed that the fluorescence signals for F-actin around the DRG neurons were restricted to the inner margins of the SC envelope. Subsequent ultrastructural observations, by use of a modified anti-FITC system, demonstrated that the F-actin-positive sites corresponded mostly to the adneuronal SC lamellae, while the cortical cytoskeletons in the neurons seemed to contribute little to the typical F-actin staining. The high concentration of F-actin in the SC envelope has not yet described before, and is thought to assist in understanding the functions of the SCs in the ganglia.
authors: Department of Histology and Embryology, Norman Bethune College of Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province 130021, China. ldlyc@yahoo.com
authors: Yan-Chao
authors: YC
authors: Li
authors: Lian-Kun
authors: LK
authors: Sun
authors: Li
authors: L
authors: Zhou
authors: Hai-Ning
authors: HN
authors: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D003238:Connective Tissue / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005260:Female; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000166:cytology*; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000378:metabolism*; D019006:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D064568:S100 Calcium Binding Protein beta Subunit; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D011984:Sensory Receptor Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D019006:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules; D064568:S100 Calcium Binding Protein beta Subunit; D009418:S100 Proteins