HIGH EXPRESSION OF BCL-X PROTEIN IN THE DEVELOPING HUMAN CEREBELLAR CORTEX

The gene bcl-x, which is related to a bcl-2, regulates programmed cell death, bcl-x may function in the development of the nervous system, W e raised a polyclonal antibody against human Bcl-x protein, and invest igated its distribution in the developing human cerebellum, Western bl otting revealed that Bcl-x expression in the cerebellum is higher in t he fetal, than in the postnatal period. Immunohistochemical studies of fetal brains localized intense Bcl-x immunoreactivity in the granule cell processes at 13-22 gestational weeks and in the Purkinje cell bod ies at 24-38 weeks. Tbe immunoreactivity decreased after birth, but wa s retained in the Purkinje cells at a low level until adulthood, These results suggested that Bcl-x expression in the cerebellum is developm entally regulated and involved specifically in the development of neur onal subpopulations. (C) 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.