Figure 7.

CNTF and CNTFRα expression in the mouse area postrema. Peroxidase immunohistochemistry demonstrated CNTF immunoreactivity in small portions of the funiculus separans (A, fs) and of the meninges (A,B, arrowheads). The antibody mainly stained cellular projections (left-side insets, arrowheads) and rarely cell somata (left-side inset in B, arrow). In A and B, insets on the left show the enlargements of the corresponding framed areas, whereas those on the right show the corresponding structures processed for CNTF immunohistochemistry from a CNTF-knockout mouse. Double-labeling experiments (C–E) showed that CNTF-immunoreactive structures were positive for the GFAP (arrows). RT-PCR demonstrated that in hypothalamic specimens CNTFRα mRNA was 264.94 times higher than that of the CNTF (F), whereas in the brainstem samples it was 424.89 times higher than that of its ligand (G). Bar: (A,B), 100 μm; left insets of (A,B), 60 μm; right insets of (A,B), 300 μm; (C–E), 50 μm.