Postnatal changes in microtubular protein content in several regions of the mouse brain

✍ Scribed by Twomey, Stanley L. ;Wyttenbach, Charles R.

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1972
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 548 KB
• Volume: 179
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0022-104X
• DOI: 10.1002/jez.1401790210

✦ Synopsis

Quantitative postnatal changes in colchicine-binding protein are reported in four regions (cerebrum, thalamus-hypothalamus, brain stem and cerebellum) of the mouse brain. Relative to unit protein and unit wet weight, changes of -27% (cerebrum) to -53% (cerebellum) occur from day 1 to young adult, with the declines taking place prior to day 7 only i n the cerebellum. On the basis of total activity per brain region, however, all areas show a several-fold increase i n colchicine-binding protein. Thus a true loss of this protein does not occur; rather, its synthesis just fails to keep pace with that of non-tubulin protein and with the increase in tissue mass.

Assay of the brain from 21 day "reeler" mutants reveals no deviations from normal controls even i n the extensively retarded cerebellum.

The several factors which quantitatively affect microtubular protein are discussed. It is concluded that the maturational decline per unit protein is most likely due to the growth and myelination of axons, while the increase in total tubulin is due mainly to extensive dendrite formation. More specific relationships cannot presently be made owing to the lack of more quantitative histological information as to changing cell structure i n each region and to the cellular heterogeneity of the regions analyzed. From this study it is clear, however, that real spatial and temporal differences in microtubular protein content exist within the brain.