Laminin immunohistochemistry: a simple method to visualize and quantitate vascular structures in the mammalian brain

Immunohistochemistry using antiserum against the basement membrane glycoprotein laminin, was shown to be an excellent marker for brain blood vessels. Throughout the brain of mice, rats, guinea pigs, monkeys and humans, the basement membrane of the vascular structures were strongly laminin-positive. The neuropil itself was laminin-negative, whereas a positive reaction was observed in the meaninges. When the laminin antiserum was preabsorbed with its proper antigen, no specific fluorescence was observed. Using India ink perfusion as a comparative method, it was found that probably all vascular structures were also visualized with laminin immunohistochemistry. Laminin immunofluorescence was found well-suited for computer-assisted quantitative image analysis of brain vascularity. As expected in the periphery, the basement membrane of many other structures except blood vessels such as endoneurium, epithelium and smooth muscle cells were laminin-positive. Although the vascular network was also strongly laminin-immunoreactive, it was difficult to differentiate between blood vessels and non-vascular structures in the periphery as compared to the central nervous system. In conclusion, laminin immunohistochemistry has proven to be a simple, useful and specific method to study vascular structures in the central nervous system and an excellent alternative to more conventional and laborious methods such as perfusion with India ink.