Spectrin subtypes in mammalian brain: an immunoelectron microscopic study

Spectrin is a major cytoskeletal component of the brain. At least 2 distinct spectrin subtypes are found in mammalian brain: brain spectrin(240/235) and brain spectrin(240/235E). In the present study spectrin subtypes were localized in the adult mouse brain by immunoelectron microscopy using antibodies that recognize each subtype. Brain spectrin(240/235E) was concentrated in neuronal cell bodies, dendrites, and postsynaptic terminals. It was also prominently associated with the plasma membrane, microtubules, filaments, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, and nuclear envelope, and it appeared to interconnect structural elements within the cell. Brain spectrin(240/235E) also was localized to the plasma membrane, nuclear envelope, and cytoplasmic organelles of glial cell bodies. Brain spectrin(240/235) was detected in axons and presynaptic elements, where it was associated with the plasma membrane, microtubules, filaments, synaptic vesicles, and mitochondria. These results show that spectrin is distributed throughout the cytoplasm of neural cells, the location of spectrin is dependent on subtype, and the cytoplasmic surface of plasma membrane and organelles contains an extensive and intricate spectrin meshwork.