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Updated: Aug 9, 2026

Simultaneous Visualization of the Dynamics of Crosslinked and Single Microtubules In Vitro by TIRF Microscopy
Published on: February 18, 2022
Level and distribution of microtubule-associated protein-2 (MAP2) as an index of dendritic structural dynamics
Giuseppina Di Stefano1, Tiziana Casoli, Patrizia Fattoretti
1INRCA Research Department, Neurobiology of Aging Laboratory, Ancona, Italy. g.distefano@inrca.it
Abstract:
Optical density of MAP2 immunoreactivity (OD), the ratio between the MAP2 stained area/total test area (area fraction: AF), the total length of MAP2 labeled profiles (TL) and the ratio perimeter/area of the immunostained profiles (pleomorphism index [PI]) were measured by quantitative immunohistochemistry in the brain of rats of different ages. In old rats versus young and adult animals, OD and AF were significantly lower, whereas PI was significantly higher, in dentate gyrus molecular layer, CA1 stratum radiatum and olfactory bulb. These findings lend support to the many converging results on the higher vulnerability to aging of the CNS areas featuring higher plasticity.
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