title: PKH26 is an excellent retrograde and anterograde fluorescent tracer characterized by a small injection site and strong fluorescence emission.
abstract: The fluorescent dye PKH26, which binds mainly to the cell membrane, has long stability that enables the tracing of PKH26-labeled transplanted cells in host tissue. In the present study, we examined whether this fluorescent dye works as a retrograde or anterograde tracer to label neural networks within the central nervous system of adult and postnatal day 3 (P3) mice. A small injection of the dye into the medullospinal junction resulted in the retrograde labeling of corticospinal tract (CST) neurons in layer V of the sensory-motor cortex both in the adult mice and pups. Injection of the dye into the motor cortex of the P3 pups resulted in the anterograde labeling of CST fibers at a single fiber resolution level, although a similar injection of the dye into the motor cortex of the adult mice failed to stain CST fibers anterogradely. These results suggest that, while PKH26 works as a retrograde or anterograde tracer, anterograde labeling of the adult tracts can not be expected.
authors.affiliation: Division of Anatomy and Developmental Neurobiology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kawaguchi
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Katsuyama
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kikkawa
authors.forename: Tomiyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Setsu
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Terashima
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000378:metabolism; D005453:Fluorescence; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000378:metabolism*; D007267:Injections; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000378:metabolism*; D011712:Pyramidal Tracts / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D013194:Staining and Labeling
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D009930:Organic Chemicals; C070080:PKH 26