Immunohistochemical localization of transferrin in the pre- and postnatal bovine brain.

摘要

The distribution of transferrin in brains from 45 fetuses of 1-2 to 8-9 months of gestational age, 12 calves and young cattle of between 1 day and 9 months old and 6 adult cattle of >12 months old were examined by immunohistochemistry. In both pre-and post-natal brains, transferrin was predominantly found in oligodendrocytes. Furthermore, transferrin immunostaining was present in a few neurons, within the lumina of vessels, endothelial cells, epithelial cells of the choroid plexus and ependymal cells. There was a caudo-rostral progress in the appearance of transferrin-positive cells. In fetuses, transferrin-positive mature oligodendrocytes and neurons were not detected before 3-4 months of gestational age. It is suggested that findings in different brain areas of older fetuses indicated an association between the increase of transferrin-positive oligodendrocytes and myelination. In brains from calves and young cattle, there was a continuous decrease of transferrin-immunoreactive oligodendrocytesand neurons.