Non-cell autonomous impairment of oligodendrocyte differentiation precedes CNS degeneration in the Zitter rat: Implications of macrophage/microglial activation in the pathogenesis-9

indicated in each panel. , Cerebral cortex showing Rip-positive oligodendrocytes () and neurofilament-positive axons (). The pial surface is at the top. , High-power photomicrographs of individual processes of Rip-positive oligodendrocytes () and neurofilament-positive axons () in the gray matter (layers II-III). In the cortex, immunoreactive cells for Rip, which possessed relatively thick and branched processes, were abundantly distributed in cortical layers II-VI, but were sparse in superficial molecular layer I. By contrast, Rip-positive cells in the cortex were significantly decreased in number throughout the cortex. , High-power views of individual Rip-positive cell in layers I-II. Rip-positive cells rats represent the typical morphology of myelinating oligodendrocytes, with round cell bodies and branched processes aligned in parallel (), whereas Rip-positive cells in rats frequently showed a morphological abnormality of distorted-shaped cell-bodies with fine and wavy processes that branched irregularly (). , Caudate-putamen of the basal ganglia immunostained for Rip () and neurofilament (). In the rat, Rip-positive oligodendrocytes exhibited an abnormal morphology with thinner and arborized processes, frequently accompanied by many spherical or granule-like fragments (). Extension of neurofilament-positive axons and axon bundles appeared normal in rats (). Scale bars: 50 μm (A-D); 20 μm (A'-D', E-K).<p><b>Copyright information:</b></p><p>Taken from "Non-cell autonomous impairment of oligodendrocyte differentiation precedes CNS degeneration in the Zitter rat: Implications of macrophage/microglial activation in the pathogenesis"</p><p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2202/9/35</p><p>BMC Neuroscience 2008;9():35-35.</p><p>Published online 5 Apr 2008</p><p>PMCID:PMC2323389.</p><p>