Summary
Several plasma proteins are found within the cells of the developing brain of many species, with a distribution pattern which changes during development, but the origin of such proteins is in dispute. The experiments described here were designed to test the hypothesis that some developing brain cells are able to take up plasma proteins. The distribution of the plasma protein albumin has been studied in the rat forebrain from the 14th day of gestation until birth. Although present within the cerebrospinal fluid and plasma from the earliest age studied, albumin was not seen within cells of the developing forebrain until day 16E or 17E. A foreign protein, sheep albumin, was injected into the ventricles at days 14E, 16E, 18E, 20E and on the day of birth. Sheep albumin can be detected in the presence of rat albumin because the antibody to sheep albumin does not cross-react with rat albumin. The sheep albumin was taken up very rapidly into cells of the ventricular zone at the later but not the earlier ages, thus mimicking the distribution of the naturally occurring rat albumin. After the foreign albumin had been left within the ventricle for several hours, some of the cells of the cortical plate also contained the protein, again mimicking the normal distribution of albumin. These findings suggest that the presence of albumin within cells of the developing rat forebrain can largely be attributed to uptake rather than synthesis.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ali M, Mujoo K, Sahib MK (1983) Synthesis and secretion of alpha-fetoprotein and albumin by newborn rat brain cells in culture. Dev Brain Res 6:47–55
Benno RH, Williams TH (1978) Evidence for intracellular localization of alpha-fetoprotein in the developing rat brain. Brain Res 142:182–186
Cavanagh ME, Møllgård K (1985) An immunocytochemical study of the distribution of some plasma proteins within the developing forebrain of the pig with special reference to the neocortex. Dev Brain Res 17:183–194
Cavanagh ME, Warren A (1984) Uptake of plasma proteins from csf into ventricular zone cells in the neocortex of new-born rats. J Physiol (Lond) 353: 49P
Cavanagh ME, Warren A (1985) Distribution of native and foreign albumin containing cells in prenatal rat forebrain. J Anat 140:521
Dziegielewska KM, Evans CAN, Lorscheider FL, Malinnowska DH, Møllgård K, Reynolds ML, Saunders NR (1981) Plasma proteins in fetal sheep brain: blood-brain barrier and intracerebral distribution. J Physiol (Lond)318:239–250
Dziegielewska KM, Evans CAN, New H, Reynolds ML, Saunders NR (1984a) Synthesis of plasma proteins by rat fetal brain and choroid plexus. Int J Dev Neurosci 2:215–222
Dziegielewska KM, Reynolds ML, Sarantis MEP, Saunders NR (1984b) Plasma proteins in fetal sheep brain: correlation of immunohistochemical distribution and local synthesis. J Physiol (Lond) 353:48P
Jacobsen M, Møllgård K (1983) Intracellular localization of some plasma in human embryonic and human embryonic and fetal brain with special reference to the developing cerebellum. Ann NY Acad Sci: 330–343
Kovaru F, Mares V, Kovaru H (1984) Immunocytochemical study of alpha-fetoprotein in the central nervous system and thymus of pig embryos. Histochem J 16:456–458
Mackiewicz A, Hejduk W, Breborowicz J (1978) The in vitro production of alpha-fetoprotein by human embryonic brain. Scand J Immunol [Suppl]8:231–233
Møllgård K, Jacobsen M (1984) Immunohistochemical identification of some plasma proteins in human embryonic and fetal forebrain with particular reference to the development of the neocortex. Dev Brain Res 13:49–63
Møllgård K, Jacobsen M, Clausen OP, Saunders NR (1979) Immunohistochemical evidence for an intracellular localization of plasma proteins in human foetal choroid plexus and brain. Neurosci Lett 14:85–90
Moro R, Uriel J (1981) Early localization of alpha-fetoprotein in the developing nervous system of the chicken. Oncodev Biol Med 2:391–398
Moro R, Fielitz W, Esteves A, Grunberg J, Uriel J (1984) In vivo uptake of heterologous alpha-fetoprotein and serum albumin by ependymal cells of developing chick embryos. Int J Dev Neurosci 2:143–148
Pineiro A, Calvo M, Ignaz F, Lampreave F, Naval J (1982) Characterization, origin and evolution of α-fetoprotein and albumin in postnatal rat brain. Int J Biochem 14:817–824
Reynolds ML, Møllgård K (1985) The distribution of plasma proteins in the neocortex and early allocortex of the developing sheep brain. Anat Embryol 171:41–60
Reynolds ML, Møllgård K, Saunders NR (1983) The distribution of plasma proteins during early embryonic development of the sheep. Anat Embryol 168:227–240
Schachter BS, Toran-Allerand CD (1982) Intra neuronal α-fetoprotein and albumin are not synthesized tocally in developing brain. Dev Brain Res 5:93–98
Stamatos C, Squiccirini J, Fine RW (1983) Chick embryo spinal and neurons synthesize a transferrin-like myotrophic protein. FEBS Lett 153:387–390
Sternberger LA (1979) Immunocytochemistry, 2nd edn. Wiley, New York
Toran-Allerand CD (1980) Co-existence of alpha-fetoprotein albumin and transferin immunoreactivity in neurons of the developing mouse brain. Nature 286:733–735
Toran-Allerand CD (1982) Regional differences in intraneuronal localization of alpha-fetoprotein in developing mouse brain. Dev Brain Res 5:213–217
Trojan J, Uriel J (1979) Localisation intracellulaire de l'alpha foetoprotéine et de la sérum albumine dans le système nerveux central du rat au cours du développement foetal et postnatal. CR Acad Sci (Paris) 289:1157–1160
Trojan J, Uriel J (1980) Immunocytochemical localization of alphafetoprotein in the developing rat brain. Oncodev Biol Med 1:107–111
Trojan J, Uriel J (1982) Immunocytochemical localization of alpha-fetoprotein and serum albumin in ecto-meso- and endodermal tissue derivatives of the developing rat. Oncodev Biol Med 3:13–22
Uriel J, Faivre-Bauman A, Trojan J, Foiret D (1981) Immunocytochemical demonstration of alpha-fetoprotein uptake by primary cultures of fetal hemisphere cells from mouse brain. Neurosci Lett 27:171–175
Uriel J, Trojan J, Dubouch P, Pineiro A (1982) Intracellular alpha-fetoprotein and albumin in the developing nervous system of the baboon. Pathol Biol (Paris) 30:79–83
Villacampa MJ, Lampreave F, Calvo M, Naval J, Pineiro A, Uriel J (1984) Incorporation of radiolabelled alpha-fetoprotein in the brain and other tissues of the developing rat. Dev Brain Res 12:77–82
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Cavanagh, M.E., Warren, A. The distribution of native albumin and foreign albumin injected into lateral ventricles of prenatal and neonatal rat forebrains. Anat Embryol 172, 345–351 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00318983
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00318983