Open AccessDistribution of glutamine synthetase in the rat central nervous system.
Author(s) -
Michael D. Norenberg
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
journal of histochemistry and cytochemistry/the journal of histochemistry and cytochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.971
H-Index - 124
eISSN - 1551-5044
pISSN - 0022-1554
DOI - 10.1177/27.3.39099
Subject(s) - ependymal cell , choroid plexus , central nervous system , glutamine synthetase , subependymal zone , astrocyte , glutamine , biology , spinal cord , cerebellum , cerebellar cortex , nervous system , ependyma , neurotransmitter , hippocampus , immunohistochemistry , neuroscience , cortex (anatomy) , biochemistry , amino acid , immunology
The results of a light microscopic immunohistochemical study of glutamine synthetase in rat nervous system are presented. In all sites studied the enzyme was confined to astrocytes. Except for trace amounts in ependymal cells, the enzyme was not observed in other cells of the nervous system including neurons, choroid plexus, third ventricular tanycytes, subependymal cells and mesodermally-derived elements. The intensity of astrocyte staining varied in different regions with the greatest degree noted in the hippocampus and cerebellar cortex while the least was noted in brain stem, deep cerebellar nuclei and spinal cord. The glutamine synthetase content correlated well with sites of suspected glutamergic activity in keeping with the view of a critical role of astrocytes in the regulation of the putative neurotransmitter glutamic acid.