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NF‐L and peripherin immunoreactivities define distinct classes of rat sensory ganglion cells
Author(s) -
Goldstein M. E.,
House S. B.,
Gainer H.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
journal of neuroscience research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.72
H-Index - 160
eISSN - 1097-4547
pISSN - 0360-4012
DOI - 10.1002/jnr.490300111
Subject(s) - peripherin , dorsal root ganglion , population , biology , immunocytochemistry , neuropeptide , immunofluorescence , microbiology and biotechnology , calcitonin gene related peptide , antibody , sensory system , neuroscience , immunology , endocrinology , medicine , gene , genetics , receptor , environmental health
Double immunofluorescence studies using antibodies against NF‐L and peripherin revealed three distinct subpopulations of neurons in rat dorsal root ganglia (DRG). In the adult rat, 46% of the DRG neurons were small and peripherin‐positive (NF‐L‐negative), and 48% were large and NF‐L‐positive (peripherin‐negative). About 6% were both peripherin‐ and NF‐L‐positive. All of the DRG neurons reacted with antibodies to NF‐M and nonphosphorylation‐dependent or phosphorylation‐independent antibodies to NF‐H. The neuropeptides were predominantly found in the peripherin‐positive small cell population. Eighty‐seven percent of the peripherin‐positive small cell population contained substance P immunoreactivity, while 43% of this cell population contained CGRP. In contrast, only 18–24% of the NF‐L‐positive large‐cell population contained neuropeptides, and these were primarily in a smaller sized subpopulation. Similar patterns of antigen representation were observed in neonatal (PN2) DRG cell populations. Tissue cultures of sensory ganglion cells from PN2 DRG, in serum‐free medium, stably maintained exclusively peripherin‐positive neurons, with about 5% of these containing coexistent NF‐L immunoreactivity. Very high levels of neuropeptide gene expression were exhibited by these postnatal neurons in culture.