Successive appearance of glutathione S-transferase-positive cells in developing rat brain: choroid plexus, pia mater,...

Indirect immunocytochemical staining with antisera raised against purified glutathione S-transferase (GST) was employed to analyse astrogliogenesis in rat brain from embryonic day-16 (E16) rats to birth (which occurs at E20) and in postnatal rats to day 56 (P56). Some GST-positive cells are already recognized at E16 in the choroid plexus and pial surface. At a slightly older age--between E18 and birth--GST-positive cells are located in the ventricular zone. After this age, GST-positive cells are easily recognized in the subventricular zone and in astroglial cells of white and gray matter. On the other hand, neurons and oligodendroglial cells have never been stained all through the ages examined.