FIG. 1.
High sensitivity of postmitotic neurons to prion infection. (A) Accumulation of PrPres in CGNOv cultures following infection with serial dilutions of 127S brain homogenate (final concentrations as indicated). De novo PrPres was quantified at 28 days postexposure by densitometric image analysis of immunoblots in two independent experiments (mean ± standard deviation) and is expressed as a percentage of total PrPres detected by immunoblotting of 1 mg of mouse brain from terminally ill 127S-infected tg338 mice. (B) CGNOv cultures were exposed to infectious prions either 2 or 8 days after plating, i.e., before or after their full differentiation. PrPres accumulation was assessed at 30 days postplating by immunoblotting of PK-treated lysate using biotinylated monoclonal antibody ICSM18 (see methods).