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Cell lineage of the subcommissural organ secretory ependymocytes: Differentiating role of the environment
Author(s) -
DidierBazès Marianne,
ChouafLakhdar Latifa,
Dutuit Magali,
Aguera Michèle,
Belin MarieFrançoise
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
microscopy research and technique
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.536
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1097-0029
pISSN - 1059-910X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0029(20010301)52:5<461::aid-jemt1032>3.0.co;2-h
Subject(s) - subcommissural organ , lineage (genetic) , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , evolutionary biology , genetics , anatomy , gene
SCO‐ependymocytes have a secretory activity and a neural innervation relating them to neurosecretory nerve cells. To elucidate the cell lineage of the SCO‐ependymocytes and emphasize the role of the neural innervation in their differentiation, in particular 5‐HT innervation, we analyzed the developmental pattern of expression of several glial and neuronal markers: (1) in the SCO of mammals possessing (rat, cat) or devoid (mouse, rabbit) of 5‐HT innervation, (2) in rat 5‐HT deafferented SCO, and (3) in rat SCO transplanted in a foreign environment, the fourth ventricle. The ability of SCO‐ependymocytes to transiently express GFAP during development and express the glial αα‐enolase confirms the glial lineage of the SCO‐ependymocytes. Synthesis of vimentin by SCO‐ependymocytes relates them to the classical ependymocytes. The ability of mature SCO‐ependymocytes to take up GABA only when they are innervated by 5‐HT terminal underlines the role of the neural environment on the differentiation of these ependymocytes and suggests that differential maturation of the SCO according to its innervation, may lead to specific functional specialization of this organ in different species. Microsc. Res. Tech. 52:461–467, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.