Decrease in glucose transporter 1 levels and translocation of glucose transporter 3 in the dentate gyrus of C57BL/6 mice and gerbils with aging / 한국실험동물학회지

In the present study, we compared the cell-specific expression and changes protein levels in the glucose transporters (GLUTs) 1 and 3, the major GLUTs in the mouse and gerbil brains using immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis. In both mouse and gerbils, GLUT1 immunoreactivity was mainly found in the blood vessels in the dentate gyrus, while GLUT3 immunoreactivity was detected in the subgranular zone and the molecular layer of the dentate gyrus. GLUT1-immunoreactivity in blood vessels and GLUT1 protein levels were significantly decreased with age in the mice and gerbils, respectively. In addition, few GLUT3-immunoreactive cells were found in the subgranular zone in aged mice and gerbils, but GLUT3-immunoreactivity was abundantly found in the polymorphic layer of dentate gyrus in mice and gerbils with a dot-like pattern. Based on the double immunofluorescence study, GLUT3-immunoreactive structures in gerbils were localized in the glial fibrillary acidic protein-immunoreactive astrocytes in the dentate gyrus. Western blot analysis showed that GLUT3 expression in the hippocampal homogenates was slightly, although not significantly, decreased with age in mice and gerbils, respectively. These results indicate that the reduction in GLUT1 in the blood vessels of dentate gyrus and GLUT3 in the subgranular zone of dentate gyrus may be associated with the decrease in uptake of glucose into brain and neuroblasts in the dentate gyrus. In addition, the expression of GLUT3 in the astrocytes in polymorphic layer of dentate gyrus may be associated with metabolic changes in glucose in aged hippocampus.

El nervio craneal cero (nervio terminal): una visión interdisciplinaria entre la neuroanatomía y la neurofisiología / The cranial nerve zero (terminal nerve): an interdisciplinary view of neuroanatomy and neurophysiology

Introducción: en la Terminologia Anatomica Internacional se encuentra incluido el término nervio terminal, también conocido como nervio craneal cero; sin embargo no aparece referenciado en los textos de fisiología, lo que denota una disociación entre estos campos del conocimiento de las ciencias básicas. Una integración o acercamiento entre estos dos campos del conocimiento, permitiría una mejor comprensión de la estructura y función de este nervio. Metodología: se revisaron diversos textos y artículos de fisiología para determinar si hay estudios fisiológicos o anotaciones que hagan referencia a la función del nervio terminal y se integraron al conocimiento morfológico existente. Discusión: aunque gran parte de la neuroanatomía macroscópica y la histología del nervio terminal han sido descritas, en el campo de la fisiología existe mucho desconocimiento acerca de este nervio y muchas de sus anotaciones funcionalesse basan en supuestos. No obstante, se ha demostrado que es un pasaje para la migración de neuroblastos, de ahí que su estructura pudiera estar organizada en dospartes: una ahuecada para la migración neuroblástica y otra compacta de elementospara la propagación de potenciales de acción. Conclusión: el nervio terminal está constituido por fibras nerviosas con función autónoma desconocida y, rodeándolo, un compartimiento a manera de conducto migratorio de neuroblastos.

Introduction: in the international Terminologia Anatomica the term nervus terminalisor cranial nerve zero is included. How ever it does not appear, referenced in physiologytexts, which indicates dissociation between these fields of knowledge of basic science. An integration and rapprochement between these two fields of knowledge enable abetter understanding of the structure and function of this cranial nerve. Methodology: many physiology texts and articles were reviewed to determine whether physiological studies or notations referring to nerve terminal function and integrated to the existing morphological knowledge. Discussion: although much of the gross neuroanatomy and histology of the nervus terminalis have been described, in the field of physiology there is much ignorance about this nerve and many of their functional annotations are based on assumptions. How ever, it has proven to be a passage for the migration of neuroblasts, and thus its structure could be organized into two parts: a hollow for neuroblast migration and other elements for propagation of action potentials. Conclusion: the nervus terminalis is composed of nerve fibers with unknown function autonomously and, surrounding it, a compartment by way of conduit migratory neuroblasts.

Presence of Differentiating Neuroblasts in Bone Marrow is a Favorable Prognostic Factor for Bone Marrow Metastatic Neuroblastoma at Diagnosis

BACKGROUND: The prognostic impact of the presence of differentiating neuroblasts in bone marrow (BM) remains unclear in BM metastatic neuroblastoma (NB). We aimed to identify the prognostic impact of differentiating neuroblasts in BM at diagnosis and after chemotherapy. METHODS: A total of 51 patients diagnosed with BM metastatic NB at Asan Medical Center between January 1990 and July 2005 were enrolled. BM histology and laboratory data along with overall survival (OS) were compared with regard to the differentiation status of neuroblasts in BM at diagnosis and after chemotherapy. RESULTS: Among the 51 patients, 13 (25.5%) exhibited differentiating neuroblasts in BM at diagnosis and 17/51 (33.3%) exhibited them after chemotherapy. The only significant difference among patient groups was the improved OS in patients with differentiated neuroblasts in BM at diagnosis (P=0.021). In contrast, the differentiation status of neuroblasts in BM after chemotherapy did not affect OS (P=0.852). CONCLUSIONS: Our study is the first report describing the presence of differentiating neuroblasts in BM. The presence of differentiating neuroblasts in BM at diagnosis may be a favorable prognostic factor for patients with BM metastatic NB; however, the same phenomenon after chemotherapy is irrelevant to prognosis.

Control of neuronal migration through rostral migration stream in mice / 대한해부학회지

During the nervous system development, immature neuroblasts have a strong potential to migrate toward their destination. In the adult brain, new neurons are continuously generated in the neurogenic niche located near the ventricle, and the newly generated cells actively migrate toward their destination, olfactory bulb, via highly specialized migratory route called rostral migratory stream (RMS). Neuroblasts in the RMS form chains by their homophilic interactions, and the neuroblasts in chains continually migrate through the tunnels formed by meshwork of astrocytes, glial tube. This review focuses on the development and structure of RMS and the regulation of neuroblast migration in the RMS. Better understanding of RMS migration may be crucial for improving functional replacement therapy by supplying endogenous neuronal cells to the injury sites more efficiently.