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In higher vertebrates the cytoskeleton of glial cells, notably astrocytes, is characterized (a) by masses of intermediate filaments (IFs) that contain the hallmark protein of glial differentiation, the glial filament protein (GFP); and (b) by the absence of cytokeratin IFs and IF-anchoring membrane domains of the desmosome type. Here we report that in certain amphibian species (Xenopus laevis, Rana ridibunda, and Pleurodeles waltlii) the astrocytes of the optic nerve contain a completely different type of cytoskeleton. In immunofluorescence microscopy using antibodies specific for different IF and desmosomal proteins, the astrocytes of this nerve are positive for cytokeratins and desmoplakins; by electron microscopy these reactions could be correlated to IF bundles and desmosomes. By gel electrophoresis of cytoskeletal proteins, combined with immunoblotting, we demonstrate the cytokeratinous nature of the major IF proteins of these astroglial cells, comprising at least three major cytokeratins. In this tissue we have not detected a major IF protein that could correspond to GFP. In contrast, cytokeratin IFs and desmosomes have not been detected in the glial cells of brain and spinal cord or in certain peripheral nerves, such as the sciatic nerve. These results provide an example of the formation of a cytokeratin cytoskeleton in the context of a nonepithelial differentiation program. They further show that glial differentiation and functions, commonly correlated with the formation of GFP filaments, are not necessarily dependent on GFP but can also be achieved with structures typical of epithelial differentiation; i.e., cytokeratin IFs and desmosomes. We discuss the cytoskeletal differences of glial cells in different kinds of nerves in the same animal, with special emphasis on the optic nerve of lower vertebrates as a widely studied model system of glial development and nerve regeneration.
Figure 1. Immunofluorescence microscopy of frozen sections through sciatic (a and b) and optic (c-e) nerves of X. laevis (a-c) and R.
ridibunda (d and e). (a, c, and d) Stained for desmosomes with monoclonal antibody to desmoplakins: DP 1&2-2.19 alone (a and c) or
in a mixture with DP 1&2-2.15 (d). (b and e) Stained for cytokeratins with monoclonal antibody K,pan 1.-8.136 (b) or guinea pig antibodies
(e). In the sciatic nerve (a and b), the reactions of both desmoplakins (a) and cytokeratins (b) are restricted to the perineurial cell layers
(brackets) and are absent from the nerve interior (asterisks). In addition, the endothelial layer of a nerve-associated blood vessel is positive
for cytokeratins (b). In the optic nerve (c and d), desmosomes are abundant in the perineural cell layers of the arachnoid (brackets) but
also occur throughout the entire interior of the nerve (central portion in c and below the arachnoidal cell layers in d). Note the higher
frequency of desmosomes in the perineural meninges and the subjacent region corresponding to the gila limitans. Reaction for cytokeratins
in the optic nerve head (e) is often particularly strong in the arachnoidal cells (upper bracket) and in the glial elements of the nerve interior.
Here a relatively weak reaction is seen in the adjacent retinal pigment epithelium (lower right brackeT). Bars: (a-c and e) 50 Um; (d) 25 Um.
Figure 2. Immunofluorescence microscopy of subsequent frozen sections ("step sections ~) through the optic nerve head of X. laevis using
monoclonal antibodies to desmoplakins (DP 1&2-2.19; [a] epifluorescence; [b] phase contrast optics) and cytokeratins (K,pan b8.136;
[c] epifluorescence; [d] phase contrast). Note intense labeling with both antibodies in the perineural meningeal sheath and in the glial
structures of the nerve interior. Arrows denote the ends of the subarachnoidal space; i.e. the transition region into the retina. Note melaninrich
tissue elements. Bars, 50 um.
Figure 3. Immunofluorescence microscopy of frozen sections through the optic nerve ofX. laevis after reaction with antibodies to cytokeratins
(a and d), vimentin (b and c), and neurofilament protein NF-L (e). (a and b) Double-label staining of the optic nerve head comparing
the distribution of cytokeratins (a, guinea pig antibodies) with vimentin (b; murine antibody VIM 3134). Note that the perineural meninges
and certain cell tracts of the nerve interior are stained with both antibodies. (c) Specificity of vimentin staining (VIM 3B4) within the
optic nerve (NO) is shown by comparison with the staining of the surrounding interstitial tissue (IT) as well as the erythrocytes, the endothelium,
and the smooth muscle wall (brackeO of a blood vessel (BV). (d and e) Double-label staining of an oblique section through
the optic nerve for cytokeratins (d; antibody lu-5) and neurofilament protein NF-L (e; guinea pig antibodies). Note that the two patterns
are not superimposable. The perineural meningeal cell layer (brackets) is not stained by neurofilament antibodies (e). Arrows point to some
cells with prominent neurofilament contents. Bars, 50 um.
Figure 4. Electron micrographs of sections through the interior of the optic nerve of the frog, R. ridibunda, showing glial filaments and
desmosomes. (a) Survey picture showing the abundance of IFs in axonal processes of neurons (N), including myelinated ones, and of glial
elements (G), which are exclusively astrocytes in this region. The arrow denotes a desmosome to which IF bundles attach. (b) Higher
magnification picture showing an extended junction with typical desmosomal organization; i.e., two membranes and the central midline
structure (parallel bars), the two cytoplasmic plaques (brackets), and attached IF bundles (i.e., tonofibrils; T). (c) Cross section of a small
desmosome showing the two plaques (brackets) and the numerous IFs that are associated with the plaques, mostly abutting at a low angle.
Bars: (a) 0.5/zm; (b and c) 0.25 um.
Figure 5. Immunoelectmn microscopy of sections showing the astrocyte processes in the interior of the optic nerve of X. laevis after reaction
with cytokeratin antibodies and secondary antibodies coupled to colloidal gold particles. (a) Survey picture showing a desmosome between
two astrocytes (bracket) and the myelin sheath-covered axon of a neuronal element (N). Note that the gold particles are exclusively associated
with the IF bundles of the astrocytes. (b) Higher magnification of peripheral regions of two adjacent astrocytes connected by a
desmosome (bracket) showing immunogold decoration of IF bundles. V, intracytoplasmic vesicle with desmosomal plaques, probably originated
by endocytosis. Bars: (a) 0.5 #m; (b) 0.2 um.
Figure 6. Identification of amphibian basic (type II) cytokeratin(s)
related to human cytokeratin 8 among the cytoskeletal proteins of
microdissected amphibian nerves by SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting.
(a) Coomassie blue staining of SDS-PAGE-separated cytoskeletal
polypeptides from cultured kidney epithelial cells of X. laevis
of line A6 (lane 2) in comparison with those of microdissected optic
(lane 3) and sciatic (lane 4) nerves of R. ridibunda and reference
proteins (lane 1 shows from top to bottom: myosin heavy chain,
B-galactosidase, phosphorylase A, BSA, ovalbumin, carbonic anhydrase).
(b) Autoradiography of an immunoblot of a parallel SDSPAGE
(with a much lower protein loading in lane 2' compared with
a, lane 2) obtained after reaction with monoclonal cytokeratin antibody
K~pan 1-8.136. The reactive bands in b correspond to a component
of ,~56,000 Mr (indicated by dots in a).
Figure 7. Identification of IF proteins in microdissected nerve tissue
of R. ridibunda (a-d) and X. laevis (e-g) by two-dimensional gel
eleetrophoresis of cytoskeletal proteins (horizontal arrow, direction
of isoelectric focusing; downward arrow, direction of SDS-PAGE)
followed by immunoblotting. Proteins added for reference: B, BSA;
A, skeletal muscle ot-actin. (a-d) Identification of cytokeratins in
optic nerve tissue of R. ridibunda. (a) Ponceau S staining of proteins
blotted on nitrocellulose filter. Major cytoskeletal polypeptides
are denoted by triple bracket, bracket, fork, and arrow. (b-d)
Autoradiographs showing cytokeratins positively identified by immunoblot
with different solutions of guinea pig antibodies to cytokeratins
(b and c) and monoclonal antibody K,pan 1-8.136, which
reacts only with cytokeratins of the basic (type H) subfamily (d).
The major component of ~56,000 Mr, which appears as a series
of isoeleetric variants, (denoted by the triple bracket on the left hand
side) is a type II cytokeratin related to human cytokeratin 8 and
probably corresponds to the 56,000-M~ protein described in R. catesbeiana
(see text). It is not clear whether the minor reactive component
denoted by the left arrow (c and d) is a genuine minor
cytokeratin polypeptide or a degradation product of the major type
II cytokeratin. In addition, the guinea pig antibodies (c) react with
two of the other major cytoskeletal polypeptides (denoted by the
right arrow and the fork), which are probably acidic (type I) cytokeratins.
(e and f) Identification of cytokeratins in optic nerve tissue
of X. laevis by immunoblotting. (e) Ponceau S staining of proteins
blotted on nitrocellulose filter. (f) Autoradiography showing the
corresponding immunoblot after reaction with guinea pig cytokemtin
antibodies. Major cytokeratins are denoted by brackets. The uppermost
component of ~56,000 Mr was a type II cytokeratin as
shown by its reaction with antibody K, pan 1-8.136 (not shown).
(g) Ponceau S staining of cytoskeletal polypeptides present in microdissected
sciatic nerve tissue of X. laevis. Note the high complexity
of polypeptide composition. None of the components stained
by the dye reacted with any of the antibodies to cytokeratins used.
The positions of the three minor components that did react with
cytokeratin antibodies are denoted by the arrowheads and are not
visible by protein staining with Coomassie blue or Ponceau S.
These are probably components of the perineurial epithelium (for
details see Fig. 3). Note the numerous Ponceau S-stained proteins,
most of which are probably noncytokeratinous IF proteins, which
in this species have not yet been positively identified by two-dimensional
gel electrophoresis. (h and i) Identification of cytokeratins
among the cytoskeletal proteins of the optic nerve of X. laevis (h)
by coelectrophoresis with l~SS]methionine-labeled cytoskeletal proteins
from cultured kidney epithelial cells (line A6) of the same species
(i; same gel electrophoretic system as in a and e). Brackets in
h denote the same components as in e and fi, those in i denote the
four major cytokeratins of A6 cells. Cytokeratin polypeptides denoted
by an open circle comigrate; those denoted by filled circles
are exclusive to the specific cytoskeleton. V, vimentin (minor component
in the nerve tissue shown in h); a, endogenous nonmuscle
actin.
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