Figure 2. Detergent-free recovery of soluble axonal proteins.

Optic nerve homogenates and axoplasm-enriched samples were separated using SDS-PAGE and coomassie stained, which revealed alternative populations of proteins (A). Immunoblotting was performed for a series of axonal and glial markers. Soluble (GFAP and CNPase) and membrane-bound (MBP) glial markers were significantly depleted in axoplasm samples (A). In contrast, the soluble axonal markers NSE and PGP9.5 were recovered and enriched (A&B). The membrane-bound axonal marker NCAM was not similarly recovered (A). Images are representative of at least 3 separate axoplasm preparations. Densitometric analysis of NSE percentage recovery versus homogenate is presented as ±S.E.M (n = 4).