Immunohistochemical characterization of neuronal cilia in the rat central nervous system.

• Main Author: Hughes, Rhome
• Other Authors: Schwark, Harris
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: University of North Texas 2002
• Subjects: Rats > Nervous system.; Cilia and ciliary motion.; Immunohistochemistry.; Neuronal cilia; Immunohistochemistry; G protein
• Online Access: https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc3136/

An anti-G"11 antibody was used to label neuronal cilia throughout the rat central nervous system. Immunoreactive cilia were observed in every examined region of the rat CNS, but not in monkey or mouse tissue. Antibodies to G"q and G"q/11 failed to label cilia. Immunoreactive cilia were observed as early as postnatal day 0 in spinal tissue, and postnatal day 3 in hypothalamic tissue. There was a statistically significant negative correlation between a region's mean cilium length and that region's distance to the nearest ventricle; regions nearest ventricles were those with the longest cilia. This correlation suggests neuronal cilia may function as chemosensors, detecting substances as they move out from the cerebrospinal fluid and into the extracellular space of the brain.