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Expression of Various Microtubule‐Associated Protein 2 Forms in the Developing Mouse Brain and in Cultured Neurons and Astrocytes
Author(s) -
CharrièreBertrand Cécile,
Garner Craig,
Tardy Marcienne,
Nunez Jacques
Publication year - 1991
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 - 10.1111/j.1471-4159.1991.tb08163.x
Subject(s) - cerebellum , biology , messenger rna , complementary dna , cytoplasm , gene expression , microbiology and biotechnology , astrocyte , gene , neuroscience , central nervous system , genetics
A cDNA probe specific to microtubule‐associated protein 2 (MAP2) was used to study the expression of the mRNAs encoding the high‐ and low‐molecular‐weight MAP2 variants in cultured neurons and astrocytes. The timing and relative abundance of these MAP2 transcripts and of their encoded proteins were also studied in the developing cerebral hemispheres and cerebellum of the mouse. A 9‐kb mRNA, known to encode high‐molecular‐weight MAP2, was expressed in cultured astrocytes, albeit at a lower level than in neurons. The 6‐kb transcript, recently shown to encode low‐molecular‐weight MAP2 (MAP2c), was expressed in neurons and was the predominant MAP2 transcript of the astrocytes. The level of the 9‐ and 6‐kb transcripts decreased at late stages of astroglial and neuronal cell culture. The 9‐kb mRNA was detected in the cerebellum and cerebral hemispheres at every developmental stage. Although the levels of this mRNA varied slightly in the cerebral hemispheres, its expression was biphasic in the cerebellum. This might be explained by the differences in timing of development of the various neuronal cell types formed in these two brain areas. The 6‐kb transcript was detected only at early developmental stages in the two brain areas. Correlating the temporal expression of the 9‐kb mRNA to that of high‐molecular‐weight MAP2 indicates that the accumulation of this protein is in part regulated at a cytoplasmic level.