Monoclonal antibody Py recognizes neurofilament heavy chain and is a selective marker for large diameter neurons in the brain.
Almost 30 years ago, the monoclonal antibody Py was developed to detect pyramidal neurons in the CA3 region of the rat hippocampus. The utility of this antibody quickly expanded when several groups discovered that it could be used to identify very specific populations of neurons in the normal, developing, and diseased or injured central nervous system. Despite this body of literature, the identity of the antigen that the Py antibody recognizes remained elusive. Here, immunoprecipitation experiments from the adult rat cortex identified the Py antigen as neurofilament heavy chain (NF-H). Double immunolabeling of sections through the rat brain using Py and NF-H antibodies confirmed the identity of the Py antigen, and reveal that Py/NF-H+ neurons appear to share the feature of being particularly large in diameter. These include the neurons of the gigantocellular reticular formation, pyramidal neurons of layers II/III and V of the cortex, cerebellar Purkinje neurons as well as CA3 pyramidal neurons. Taken together, this finding gives clarity to past work using the monoclonal Py antibody, and immediately expands our understanding of the importance of NF-H in neural development, functioning, and disease.
Wolfson Centre for Inherited Neuromuscular Disease, RJAH Orthopaedic Hospital, Oswestry, SY10 7AG, UK.|Institute for Science and Technology in Medicine, Keele University, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, UK.
Heidi R
HR
Fuller
School of Sports, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, LE11 3TU, UK.
Lucia
L
Marani
Wolfson Centre for Inherited Neuromuscular Disease, RJAH Orthopaedic Hospital, Oswestry, SY10 7AG, UK.|Institute for Science and Technology in Medicine, Keele University, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, UK.
Ian
I
Holt
National Institute for Medical Research, Mill Hill, London, NW7 1AA, UK.
Peter L
PL
Woodhams
Mitobridge Inc, 1030 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.
Michael M
MM
Webb
Institute for Science and Technology in Medicine, Keele University, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, UK. m.a.gates@keele.ac.uk.
Monte A
MA
Gates
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins; C051774:neurofilament protein H
Large diameter neuron; Monoclonal antibody Py; Neurodegenerative disease; Neurofilament heavy chain