Keywords :
Aging; Animals; Antigens/metabolism; Astrocytes/cytology/metabolism; Brain/cytology/metabolism; Cell Adhesion Molecules/metabolism; Cell Membrane/metabolism; Cell Proliferation; Mice; Mitosis; Neuroglia/cytology/metabolism; Neurons/cytology/metabolism; Oligodendroglia/cytology/metabolism; Proteoglycans/metabolism; Receptors, Cell Surface/metabolism; Stem Cell Niche/cytology/metabolism; Stem Cells/cytology/metabolism
Abstract :
[en] BACKGROUND: Junctional adhesion molecule-A (JAM-A) is an adhesive protein expressed in various cell types. JAM-A localizes to the tight junctions between contacting endothelial and epithelial cells, where it contributes to cell-cell adhesion and to the control of paracellular permeability. RESULTS: So far, the expression pattern of JAM-A has not been described in detail for the different cell types of the adult brain. Here we show that a subset of proliferating cells in the adult mouse brain express JAM-A. We further clarify that these cells belong to the lineage of NG2-glia cells. Although these mitotic NG2-glia cells express JAM-A, the protein never shows a polarized subcellular distribution. Also non-mitotic NG2-glia cells express JAM-A in a non-polarized pattern on their surface. CONCLUSIONS: Our data show that JAM-A is a novel surface marker for NG2-glia cells of the adult brain.
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