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Expression of Microtubule‐Associated Protein‐2a and Other Novel Microtubule‐Associated Protein‐2 Transcripts in Human Fetal Spinal Cord
Author(s) -
Kalcheva Nellie,
Weidenheim Karen M.,
Kress Yvonne,
ShafitZagardo Bridget
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
journal of neurochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.75
H-Index - 229
eISSN - 1471-4159
pISSN - 0022-3042
DOI - 10.1046/j.1471-4159.1997.68010383.x
Subject(s) - microtubule , spinal cord , microbiology and biotechnology , microtubule associated protein , biology , protein expression , fetus , neuroscience , chemistry , genetics , gene , pregnancy
In human fetal spinal cord (HFSC), six additional microtubule‐associated protein‐2 (MAP‐2) transcripts are generated by alternative splicing of two recently described exons, exon 8 and exon 13. The following three translated proteins are detected by western blot analysis: MAP‐2b expressing exon 8 (MAP‐2b+8; MAP‐2a), MAP‐2b expressing exon 13 (MAP‐2b+13), and MAP‐2c expressing exon 8 and exon 13 (MAP‐2c+8+13). The finding that MAP‐2b+8 is expressed in HFSC demonstrates for the first time the presence of MAP‐2a in human fetal CNS. Immunocytochemical studies show that exon 8‐specific antibody and exon 13‐specific antibody stain independent and overlapping populations of neurons in the lumbar region of the HFSC. Antibody 13‐immunopositive neurons have predominantly cytosolic staining, whereas in the antibody 8‐immunoreactive neurons staining was observed in the cytosol, dendrites, and some synapses. The prenatal expression of MAP‐2a, which has been used as a marker of synaptogenesis, not only demonstrates the presence of a mature MAP‐2 isoform in HFSC, but suggests that MAP‐2a is important during human fetal as well as postnatal synaptogenesis.