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Synaptic and nonsynaptic localization of protocadherin‐γC5 in the rat brain
Author(s) -
Li Yanfang,
Serwanski David R.,
Miralles Celia P.,
Fiondella Christopher G.,
Loturco Joseph J.,
Rubio Maria E.,
De Blas Angel L.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
journal of comparative neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.855
H-Index - 209
eISSN - 1096-9861
pISSN - 0021-9967
DOI - 10.1002/cne.22390
Subject(s) - neuroscience , gabaergic , synaptogenesis , glutamatergic , biology , dentate gyrus , hippocampus , hippocampal formation , astrocyte , interneuron , glutamate receptor , central nervous system , biochemistry , receptor , inhibitory postsynaptic potential
It has been proposed that γ‐protocadherins (Pcdh‐γs) are involved in the establishment of specific patterns of neuronal connectivity. Contrary to the other Pcdh‐γs, which are expressed in the embryo, Pcdh‐γC5 is expressed postnatally in the brain, coinciding with the peak of synaptogenesis. We have developed an antibody specific for Pcdh‐γC5 to study the expression and localization of Pcdh‐γC5 in brain. Pcdh‐γC5 is highly expressed in the olfactory bulb, corpus striatum, dentate gyrus, CA1 region of the hippocampus, layers I and II of the cerebral cortex, and molecular layer of the cerebellum. Pcdh‐γC5 is expressed in both neurons and astrocytes. In hippocampal neuronal cultures, and in the absence of astrocytes, a significant percentage of synapses, more GABAergic than glutamatergic, have associated Pcdh‐γC5 clusters. Some GABAergic axons show Pcdh‐γC5 in the majority of their synapses. Nevertheless, many Pcdh‐γC5 clusters are not associated with synapses. In the brain, significant numbers of Pcdh‐γC5 clusters are located at contact points between neurons and astrocytes. Electron microscopic immunocytochemistry of the rat brain shows that 1) Pcdh‐γC5 is present in some GABAergic and glutamatergic synapses both pre‐ and postsynaptically; 2) Pcdh‐γC5 is also extrasynaptically localized in membranes and in cytoplasmic organelles of neurons and astrocytes; and 3) Pcdh‐γC5 is also localized in perisynaptic astrocyte processes. The results support the notions that 1) Pcdh‐γC5 plays a role in synaptic specificity and/or synaptic maturation and 2) Pcdh‐γC5 is involved in neuron–neuron synaptic interactions and in neuron–astrocyte interactions, including perisynaptic neuron–astrocyte interactions. J. Comp. Neurol. 518:3439–3463, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.