THE CELLULAR-DISTRIBUTION OF GAP-43 IMMUNOREACTIVITY IN HUMAN NEOCORTICAL AREAS USING IMMUNOFLUORESCENCE AND CONFOCAL MICROSCOPY - POSTISCHEMIC INFLUENCE

The distribution of growth associated protein-43 (GAP-43) immunoreacti ve (IR) neurons were studied in human neocortical areas, using immunof luorescence and confocal microscopy. The GAP-43-IR cells were generall y localised close to blood vessels, and contained fewer Lipofuscin gra nules than GAP-43 negative cells. Quantification of the relative numbe r of GAP-43-IR cells in control cases showed that the highest number o f GAP-43-IR cells were present in layers III and V in the motor and vi sual cortices, fewer in the temporal cortex, and the lowest number in the frontal cortex. After general ischemia, GAP-43-IR cells were signi ficantly reduced at various survival times, with the counts being lowe st in the 1 week surviving case, and higher, but still subcontrol, in the 1 year post-ischemic case. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.