Localization of immunoreactive epidermal growth factor receptors in human nervous system

• Published in: The journal of histochemistry and cytochemistry Vol. 36; no. 1; pp. 81 - 86
• Main Authors: Werner, M H, Nanney, L B, Stoscheck, C M, King, L E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01-01-1988; Histochemical Society
• Subjects: Aging; Astrocytes - analysis; Biological and medical sciences; Brain - blood supply; Cell receptors; Cell structures and functions; Cerebellum - analysis; Cerebral Cortex - analysis; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Ganglia, Spinal - analysis; Hippocampus - analysis; Histocytochemistry; Humans; Immunoenzyme Techniques; Molecular and cellular biology; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular - analysis; Nervous System - analysis; Oligodendroglia - analysis; Purkinje Cells - analysis; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor - analysis; Schwann Cells - analysis; Tissue Distribution; Human; Immunohistochemistry; Brain; Membrane receptor; Epidermal growth factor; Central nervous system; Localization
• ISSN: 0022-1554; 1551-5044
• DOI: 10.1177/36.1.3275713

Epidermal growth factor is a well-defined peptide which stimulates cell growth and elicits cell responses in a variety of tissues by binding to specific receptors, EGF-R. A specific antiserum against the EGF receptor, which has previously been used to characterize EGF-R in human skin, fibroblasts, and smooth muscle, was used to survey the distribution of EGF-R in human nervous system. Portions of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded autopsy specimens were examined by use of immunohistochemical staining (PAP technique) with EGF-R antiserum. Many types of nerve cells, e.g., cerebral cortical pyramidal cells, hippocampal pyramidal cells, Purkinje cells, anterior horn cells, and dorsal root ganglion neurons, contained immunoreactive EGF-R. However, immunoreactive EGF-R were not detected in astrocytes, oligodendrogliocytes, and other small neurons such as granule cells. Intense immunostaining for EGF-R was also detected in ependymal cells from choroidal and extrachoroidal locations. Although immunoreactive EGF-R is widely distributed in human nervous system, the functional role of EGF and its receptor in the nervous system remains unknown.