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Immunolocalization of B-50 (GAP-43) in the mouse olfactory bulb: Predominant presence in preterminal axons

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Journal of Neurocytology

Summary

Because the growth-associated protein B-50 (GAP-43) has been implicated in neurite outgrowth as well as in synaptic plasticity, we studied its light and electron microscopical distribution in the mouse olfactory bulb, an area of the nervous system which exhibits a high degree of synaptic plasticity. Immunofluorescent staining with monospecific affinity-purified anti-B-50 antibodies revealed that B-50 is most abundantly expressed in the olfactory nerve fibre layer and the granule cell layer neuropil, while little staining was observed in the external plexiform layer and in cell bodies. B-50 is absent from dendrites and myelinated axons as indicated by double labelling with monoclonal antibodies against microtubule-associated protein 2 and the large neurofilament protein, respectively. Using post-embedding immunogold labelling on ultrathin Lowicryl sections, B-50 was found to be highly concentrated in presumed growth cones in the olfactory nerve fibre layer and in thin unmyelinated axons and presynaptic terminals in the granule cell layer neuropil. Near background immunolabelling was seen in perikarya, dendrites and myelinated axons. In view of the implication of B-50 in plasticity-related phenomena, its abundance in the thin unmyelinated preterminal axons suggests that these are potential sites of extrasynaptic plasticity.

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  1. G. J. A. Ramakers

    Present address: Molecular Biology and Virology Lab, Salk Institute, P.O. Box 85800, 92138-9216, San Diego, CA, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Rudolf Magnus Institute, University of Utrecht, Vondellaan 6, 3521 GD, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    G. J. A. Ramakers, J. Verhaagen, A. B. Oestreicher & W. H. Gispen

  2. Laboratory of Chemosensory Neurobiology, Roche Institute of Molecular Biology, 340 Kingsland Street, 07110-1199, Nutley, NJ, USA

    F. L. Margolis

  3. Department of Electron Microscopy, University of Utrecht, Padualaan 8, 3554, CH Utrecht, The Netherlands

    P. M. P. Van Bergen En Henegouwen

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  1. G. J. A. Ramakers
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Ramakers, G.J.A., Verhaagen, J., Oestreicher, A.B. et al. Immunolocalization of B-50 (GAP-43) in the mouse olfactory bulb: Predominant presence in preterminal axons. J Neurocytol 21, 853–869 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01191683

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