Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 7, 2026

Evaluating Cell Death Signaling by Immunofluorescence in a Rat Model of Ischemic Stroke
Published on: January 3, 2025
Extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 activation in hippocampus after cerebral ischemia may not interfere with
1Research Center for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Xuzhou Medical College, 221002, Xuzhou, PR China.
Abstract:
To investigate the effect of the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) on cerebral ischemic injury, temporospatial alterations of active (diphosphorylated) ERK1/2 immunoreactivity in hippocampus was examined. Western blot showed that diphosphorylated ERK1/2 were decreased at 10 min of cerebral ischemia but increased rapidly (within 2 min) and transiently (within 4 h) during reperfusion. Immunohistochemistry showed that little diphosphorylated ERK1/2 immunoreactivity was seen in CA1 pyramidal cell bodies after ischemia, while strong immunoreactivity were seen in neuronal bodies in CA3/DG and in fiber systems in both CA1 and CA3 regions. Cerebral ventricular infusion of PD98059, a specific inhibitor of ERK kinase, completely prevented ERK1/2 activation after ischemia but had no effect on the survival of pyramidal cells in CA1 subfield. The results suggest that ERK1/2 activation in hippocampus after brain ischemia may not interfere with the postischemic cell death in CA1 region.
Related Concept Videos
Calmodulin-dependent Signaling
The Ca2+-CaM complex does not have enzymatic activity by itself. Instead, the complex binds downstream target proteins, including membrane proteins or enzymes,...
MAPK Signaling Cascades
Ischemic Stroke ll: Pathophysiology
Amplifying Signals via Enzymatic Cascade
cAMP-dependent Protein Kinase Pathways
Interactions Between Signaling Pathways
Convergence and divergence, and cross-talk between signaling pathways
Two distinct signaling pathways can converge on a single functional unit, which may either be a single protein or a complex of proteins. The response is either functionally distinct or synergistic between the two pathways but different from the response...

