Ly-6C is expressed in brain vessels endothelial cells but not in microglia of the mouse

• Published in: Neuroscience letters Vol. 251; no. 1; pp. 37 - 40
• Main Authors: Alliot, Françoise, Rutin, Jacques, Pessac, Bernard
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Ireland Ltd 17.07.1998; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animals; Antibodies, Monoclonal - immunology; Antigens, Ly - analysis; Antigens, Ly - biosynthesis; Antigens, Ly - immunology; Biological and medical sciences; Brain - blood supply; Brain - cytology; Brain - metabolism; Cell Division; Cells, Cultured; Central nervous system; Cerebral circulation. Blood-brain barrier. Choroid plexus. Cerebrospinal fluid. Circumventricular organ. Meninges; Cerebrovascular Circulation; Embryo, Mammalian; Endothelium; Endothelium, Vascular - cytology; Endothelium, Vascular - metabolism; Endothelium, Vascular - ultrastructure; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Immunohistochemistry; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Microglia; Microglia - cytology; Microglia - metabolism; Microscopy, Immunoelectron; Mouse; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs; Vessels; Mouse; Vessels; Central nervous system; Microglia; Endothelium; Vertebrata; Endothelial cell; Mammalia; Neuroglia; Blood vessel; Rodentia; Circulatory system; Brain (vertebrata)
• ISSN: 0304-3940; 1872-7972
• DOI: 10.1016/S0304-3940(98)00473-X

The Ly-6C antigen is expressed in various cell types of the immune system, including macrophages. Using the monoclonal antibody ER-MP20 which specifically recognises Ly-6C, we have investigated whether brain parenchymatous microglia express Ly-6C in vivo as well as in vitro. In brain sections from developing and adult C57/Bl mice, all vessels were strongly immunolabelled. Electron microscopic immunohistochemistry showed that the endothelial cells are the cell type expressing Ly-6C. In contrast, we never observed immunoreactivity on microglia; however, microglial cells proliferating in vitro were strongly ER-MP20 positive. These data show that Ly-6C is not a marker for microglia in vivo.