Satellite cells in prevertebral ganglia of the hypertensive rat

Abstract

There are elevated levels of superoxide anion in non‐neuronal cells and neurons within prevertebral sympathetic ganglia of desoxycorticosterone acetate salt hypertensive (HT) rats. We hypothesized that the non‐neuronal cells were satellite cells (SCs) and we used glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) as a marker for them in the celiac ganglion (CG). Using a polyclonal primary antibody for GFAP, we compared GFAP expression in the CG of the normotensive (NT) and HT rat. GFAP marked two populations of non‐neuronal cells: 1) SCs closely approximated to neurons; 2) small cells widely distributed in intercellular spaces. GFAP‐immunoreactive SCs associated with neurons were counted and their number was compared between NT and HT. The ratio of immunoreactive (IR) SCs to total SCs was greater in HT (p<.005, n=88‐130 SCs) compared to NT. The number of IR SCs per neuron was greater in HT (p<.05, n=29 neurons). There was no difference in the total number of SCs per neuron (p>.05, n=29 neurons) between NT and HT. These results show that the number of perineuronal SCs is not greater in HT but rather more SCs are expressing GFAP in ganglia from HT rats. Support: HL70687.