LOCALIZATION OF VINCULIN AND TALIN AT PERINEURIAL CELLS OF HUMAN SURAL NERVE

IMMUNOLOCALIZATION of spectrin, vinculin, talin, desmin and titin was investigated in human sural nerve. No binding for spectrin and titin w as seen in any structure of the nerve. Antibody against desmin immunos tained sporadic epineurial vessels only. Endoneurial and epineurial ve ssels were intensely positive for vinculin and talin. We found express ion of vinculin and talin at the perineurial cells, using immunocytoch emistry and gold immunoelectron microscopy. Since vinculin and talin a re known to be involved in cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix tra nsmembrane connections, we propose that they, possibly together with o ther cytoskeletal proteins, may be implicated in the permeability barr ier property of the perineurium. In pathological conditions, perineuri um plays an as yet unknown role. Future studies are needed to investig ate expression of vinculin and talin in neuropathies.