Elsevier

Brain Research

Volume 819, Issues 1–2, 20 February 1999, Pages 143-146
Brain Research

Short communication
P-glycoprotein on astrocyte foot processes of unfixed isolated human brain capillaries

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0006-8993(98)01305-5Get rights and content

Abstract

Sites of immunoreactive P-glycoprotein associated with human brain microvasculature were identified by labeling of unfixed isolated human brain capillaries, allowing visualization of the three-dimensional capillary structure by confocal microscopy. Capillaries isolated from human autopsy brain were dual-labeled with the MRK16 mouse monoclonal antibody (against human P-glycoprotein) and rabbit polyclonal antisera against the human brain microvascular glucose transporter (GLUT1), or glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) on astrocyte foot processes. MRK16 and GLUT1 dual-labeling showed no signal overlap, identical to the staining pattern observed for dual-labeling with anti-GFAP and anti-GLUT1 antibodies: both GFAP and MRK16 labeling were discrete, discontinuous, and not co-localized with continuous GLUT1 labeling of capillary endothelium. In contrast, complete overlap of MRK16 and GFAP labeling demonstrated P-glycoprotein localization on astrocyte foot process remnants at the abluminal face of the brain microvasculature.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by NIH grant NS-25554.

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