- Title
- Immunocytochemical analysis of D-Serine distribution in the mammalian brain reveals novel anatomical compartmentalizations in glia and neurons
- Creator
- Williams, Susan M.; Diaz, Claudia M.; Macnab, Lauren T.; Sullivan, Robert K. P.; Pow, David V.
- Relation
- Glia Vol. 53, Issue 4, p. 401-411
- Publisher Link
- http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/glia.20300
- Publisher
- Wiley-Liss
- Resource Type
- journal article
- Date
- 2006
- Description
- D-Serine is a co-agonist at the NMDA receptor glycine-binding site. Early studies have emphasized a glial localization for D-serine. However the nature of the glial cells has not been fully resolved, because previous D-serine antibodies needed glutaraldehyde-fixation, precluding co-localization with fixation-sensitive antigens. We have raised a new D-serine antibody optimized for formaldehyde-fixation. Light and electron microscopic observations indicated that D-serine was concentrated into vesicle-like compartments in astrocytes and radial glial cells, rather than being distributed uniformly in the cytoplasm. In aged animals, patches of cortex and hippocampus were devoid of immunolabeling for D-serine, suggesting that impaired glial modulation of forebrain glutamatergic signaling might occur. Dual immunofluorescence labeling for glutamate and D-serine revealed D-serine in a subset of glutamatergic neurons, particularly in brainstem regions and in the olfactory bulbs. Microglia also contain D-serine. We suggest that some D-serine may be derived from the periphery. Collectively, our data suggest that the cellular compartmentation and distribution of D-serine may be more complex and extensive than previously thought and may have significant implications for our understanding of the role of D-serine in disease states including hypoxia and schizophrenia.
- Subject
- astrocyte; glycine; microglia; NMDA; vesicle
- Identifier
- uon:1684
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/27451
- Identifier
- ISSN:0894-1491
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