Journal of Neuroscience, Vol 5, 2581-2596, Copyright © 1985 by Society for Neuroscience
Localization of sodium/potassium adenosine triphosphatase in multiple cell types of the murine nervous system with antibodies raised against the enzyme from kidney
RG Ariyasu, JA Nichol and MH Ellisman
This report describes the development and characterization of a battery of
highly specific antibodies to sodium/potassium (Na+ + K+)-ATPase and their
use in localizing this enzyme in nervous tissue. The immunolabeling
characteristics of polyclonal antibodies and monoclonal antibodies (Schenk,
D. B., and H. L. Leffert (1983) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 80:
5281-5285) raised against rat renal (Na+ + K+)-ATPase were compared. The
interspecies cross-reactivity of the polyclonal anti- rat antibodies was
examined by determining their binding to purified rat, eel, or dog enzyme.
The immunostaining characteristics of the IgG fraction of the polyclonal
antibody preparations, their affinity- purified derivatives, and the
monoclonal antibodies were compared. The results obtained with each of
these were similar, providing information about where focal concentrations
of the enzyme exist within nervous tissue. The IgG fraction of the
polyclonal antibody preparations provided the most sensitive probe,
facilitating localization of the (Na+ + K+)-ATPase in the tissue sections
from various regions of the nervous system. (Na+ + K+)-ATPase-like
immunoreactivity was observed along the plasmalemma of alpha-motor neurons
and at the nodal axolemma of myelinated axons from the central or
peripheral nervous system. It was determined that the absence of labeling
for the enzyme along the paranodal or internodal regions of the axolemma
was not an artifact due to a limited accessibility of antibody to these
regions. Some central nervous system glial cells demonstrated abundant
amounts of plasmalemmal and intracellular (Na+ + K+)-ATPase-like
immunoreactivity. These cells were identified as astroglia by positive
labeling of cells in serial sections for glial fibrillary acid protein
immunoreactivity in the soma and radial processes in optic nerve, or velous
processes in the cerebellum. Astrocyte processes overlying the nodal
axolemma also stained positively for the enzyme. (Na+ + K+)-ATPase-like
immunoreactivity was not observed in association with oligodendroglia cell
bodies or their processes forming myelin sheaths. In contrast, the
plasmalemma of myelinating Schwann cells showed greatest immunoreactivity
in the region of the node of Ranvier. Although a focal concentration of
immunoreactivity was observed along node- and paranode- associated regions
of Schwann cells, a lower level of uniform staining was noted along the
entire Schwann cell surface membrane.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)