Glial fibrillary acidic protein in cryogenic lesions of the rat brain

Histologic sections of rat brains obtained at time intervals ranging from 30 min to 48 h following a cryogenic lesion placed on the surface of the parietal lobe, were immunocytochemically stained for glial fibrillary acidic (GFA) protein (glial filaments), IgG and albumin. Intense staining for the GFA protein and enlargement of astrocytes in the subcortical white matter and corpus callosum, were demonstrated near the lesion at 30 min and spread throughout the white matter up to 48 h. The early reaction of the astrocytes suggests that disassembly of glial filaments or new GFA synthesis may contribute to astrocytic changes.