Identification of canine glial cells by nonradioactive in situ hybridization

Studies on the development of the canine central nervous system and on demyelinating diseases demand unequivocal identification of the glial cells. For that reason, nonradioactive in situ hybridization (ISH) was performed in primary dog brain cell cultures (DBCC) and in brain sections of neonatal dogs. Specific RNA probes were used to detect messenger RNA (mRNA) coding for proteolipid protein (PLP), myelin basic protein (MBP) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). PLP and MBP are markers for oligodendrocytes, GFAP for astrocytes. Oligodendrocytes positive for PLP and MBP mRNA were found in both DBCC and brain sections of neonatal dogs. Astrocytes expressing GFAP specific mRNA were detected in DBCC and in brain sections. These cells were evenly distributed in the white matter with additional accumulation in the membrana limitans gliae superficialis, around the ventricles and blood vessels. ISH clearly improves the study of oligodendrocytes in brain sections as, in contrast to the immunohistochemical methods, this technique allows to identify individual cells.