Nonspecific esterase activity in astrocytes of the goldfish brain.

Abstract

We examined the distribution of nonspecific esterase (NSE) activity in the brain of the goldfish, Carawius auracus, and found that the enzyme is expressed at high levels in cells that appeared to be radial astrocytes. Several instances in which neurons expressed NSE activity were also seen. To confirm the identity of the radial profiles as astrocgtes, similar sections were labeled with antiserum against goldfiih glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). The concordance between the NSE and the anti-GFAP data in both the visual system and the telencephalon was essentially complete, confirming that the NSE reaction was labeling astrocytes in these structures. The two methods also gave similar results in both the cerebellum and the vagal lobes, although the concordance between them in these instances was somewhat less complete.

Distribution of NADPH-diaphorase and nitric oxide synthase reactivity in the central nervous system of the goldfish (Carassius auratus)

“…Furthermore, when a cell line was transfected with nNOS cDNA expressed de novo both the enzyme and NADPHd activity (Dawson et al, 1991). However, studies of colocalization and regional distribution of NADPHd and nNOSpositive cells have reported some discrepancies in nonmammalian vertebrates, including fish (Holmqvist et al, 1994;Arevalo et al, 1995;Brüning et al, 1995;Pepperell and Levine, 1996;Virgili et al, 2001;Cuoghi et al, 2002). Present data demonstrated an extensive co-localization of NADPHd and nNOS in cells of the goldfish brain, but a number of NADPHd-positive cells were not positive against nNOS.…”

Myelin debris clearance during Wallerian degeneration in the goldfish visual system

“…By contrast with the optic nerve, astrocytes of the optic tract are radial glia, i.e., their cell bodies are located at the ventricular surface and they extend long, thin projections into the tract parallel to the optic fibers (Levine, 1989(Levine, , 1995Nona et al, 1989;Pepperell and Levine, 1996). At the ultrastructural level, these processes were rarely seen because of their sparseness and the fact that they are of approximately the same diameter as the optic axons.…”