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The subcellular distribution of transferrin in rat choroid plexus studied with immunogold labelling of ultracryosections

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Summary

Choroid plexus epithelium from third ventricle choroid plexus of 2–3-week-old rats was examined for transferrin-like immunoreactivity. In 5 µm paraffin sections most epithelial cells exhibited a pronounced immunoperoxidase staining for transferrin. The ultrastructure of the epithelium in question was examined by conventional electron microscopy. Immunolabelling of ultracryosections with IgG-gold, protein-A gold or protein-A gold—antiprotein-A protein-A gold showed an intense labelling of the basal extracellular space. The lateral intercellular space and the luminal surface showed a more variable labelling; no labelling of the tight junction zone was seen. Intracellularly a distinct labelling of the ‘uptake and disposal pathway’ (the endosomal—lysosomal system) was observed, but also the synthetic machinery (rough endoplasmic reticulum, stacked Golgi membranes) showed a characteristic labelling. Thus it seems likely that both uptake and synthesis of transferrin occur in choroid plexus epithelial cells.

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  1. Institute of Medical Anatomy, Department A, The Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3, DK-2200, Copenhagen N, Denmark

    Kjeld Møllgård & Yaël Balslev

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  1. Kjeld Møllgård
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  2. Yaël Balslev
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Møllgård, K., Balslev, Y. The subcellular distribution of transferrin in rat choroid plexus studied with immunogold labelling of ultracryosections. Histochem J 21, 441–448 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01845793

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