Microbial carbohydrate specific antibodies distinguish between different stages of differentiating mouse cerebellum

High titered anticarbohydrate antibodies were used to identify cell surface carbohydrates during different stages in histogenesis of mouse cerebellum in a micro tissue-culture system which mimics selected features of in vivo cerebellum development. Blockage of fiber formation within the first few days in vitro and inhibition of cell migrations by carbohydrate-specific antibodies served as an assay system for possible contributions of surface carbohydrates to the behavior of developing cerebellar cells. Microbial strains were selected on the basis of carbohydrate structures of their cell wall antigens, and anticarbohydrate antibodies were raised against treated whole bacteria and yeast in rabbits. We found that antibodies to mannan were active at all stages of development tested (embryonic day 13, E13; the day of birth, PO; and postnatal day 7, P7). Antibodies to sialic acids prepared against strains B and C of Neisseria meningitidis distinguish different subterminal structures: anti-B reacted with E13 and PO cerebellar cells, and anti-C mostly with cells older than P7. Antifetuin antibody recognized E13 and PO but not P7 cell populations. Pneumococcus C strain R36A-specific antibodies were effective only after coating cells to C type carbohydrate before application of the antibody. The results demonstrate that antimicrobiol carbohydrate antibodies cross-react with mammalian cell surface carbohydrate structures and therefore can be used as a powerful tool in tissue culture to analyse those structures which might control cell behaviors pertinent to cerebellar development.