ALZ-50 IMMUNOREACTIVITY IN THE CENTRAL-NERVOUS-SYSTEM OF ADULT-RAT AND PRIMATE

The purpose of this work was to investigate the distribution and density of Alz-50 immunoreactivity in the central nervous system of normal adult and cortically injured rats and primates (Cercopithecus aethiops). In control animals of both species a consistent pattern of fiber immunoreactivity was detected within the hypothalamus (arcuate nucleus and median eminence) and the spinal cord (posterior horn and dorsal root nerve). Immunoreactive perikarya were predominantly observed throughout the anterior region of the third ventricle. An identical localization and density of Alz-50 staining was observed in lesioned animals. These experiments reveal that the pattern of Alz-50 immunoreactivity is not affected by the neurodegenerative processes that follow the cortical devascularizing lesion. These observations suggest that the monoclonal antibody Alz-50, besides recognizing cytoskeletal components in degenerating neurons, reacts with specific epitopes located in the hypothalamus and spinal cord of normal mammalian central nervous system.