Nerve growth factor receptor immunoreactivity is transiently associated with the subplate neurons of the mammalian cerebral cortex
- Stanford Univ. School of Medicine, CA (USA)
Nerve growth factor and its receptor (NGFR) are known to be present in diverse embryonic and neonatal central nervous system tissues, including the cerebral cortex. However, the identity of the cortical cells expressing NGFR immunoreactivity has not been established. We have used immunolabeling coupled with (3H)thymidine autoradiography to identify such cells in ferret and cat brain. Polyclonal antibodies raised against a synthetic peptide corresponding to a conserved amino acid sequence of the NGFR were used for this purpose. Western (immunologic) blot analyses show that these antibodies specifically recognize NGFR and precursor proteins. In both species, NGFR immunoreactivity is primarily associated with the early generated and transient subplate neuron population of the developing neocortex, as indicated by the following evidence: the immunoreactive cells (i) are located directly beneath the developing cortical plate, (ii) frequently have the inverted pyramid shape characteristic of subplate neurons, and (iii) can be labeled by an injection of (3H)thymidine on embryonic day (E) 28, a time when only subplate neurons are being generated. Intense NGFR immunostaining is seen on the cell bodies of these neurons as early as E30, several days after their last round of cell division, and this immunostaining remains strong for approximately 3 weeks. The NGFR immunoreactivity begins to decline around E52 and has disappeared from the region altogether by E60, at which time subplate neurons begin to die. The cellular localization and timing of expression suggest that the NGFR may play a role in the maintenance of subplate neurons and in the maturation of the cerebral cortex.
- OSTI ID:
- 7244651
- Journal Information:
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America; (USA), Journal Name: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America; (USA) Vol. 87:1; ISSN PNASA; ISSN 0027-8424
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
AGE DEPENDENCE
AMINO ACID SEQUENCE
ANIMAL CELLS
ANIMALS
ANTIBODIES
AUTORADIOGRAPHY
AZINES
BIOCHEMISTRY
BIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS
BODY
BRAIN
CATS
CATTLE
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
CEREBRAL CORTEX
CEREBRUM
CHEMISTRY
DNA
DOMESTIC ANIMALS
FUNCTIONS
GROWTH FACTORS
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
IMMUNE REACTIONS
MAMMALS
MEMBRANE PROTEINS
MITOGENS
MOLECULAR STRUCTURE
NERVE CELLS
NERVOUS SYSTEM
NUCLEIC ACIDS
NUCLEOSIDES
NUCLEOTIDES
ONTOGENESIS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PROTEINS
PYRIMIDINES
RECEPTORS
RIBOSIDES
RUMINANTS
SOMATIC CELLS
THYMIDINE
TRITIUM COMPOUNDS
VERTEBRATES