Cl. Armstrong et al., Constitutive expression of the 25-kDa heat shock protein Hsp25 reveals novel parasagittal bands of Purkinje cells in the adult mouse cerebellar cortex, J COMP NEUR, 416(3), 2000, pp. 383-397
Despite the reported absence of the 25-kDa heat shock protein Hsp25 in the
rodent cerebellum, we have determined that Hsp25 is constitutively expresse
d in a subset of Purkinje cells in the adult cerebellum of the mouse. Mo ot
her cerebellar neurons are Hsp25 immunoreactive, but there is weak staining
associated with blood vessels. In the vermis, Hsp25-immunoreactive Purkinj
e cells are confined to two regions: one in lobules VI/VII, the other in lo
bules IX/X. In each region, only a subset of the Purkinje cells is immunore
active. These cells are grouped in five parasagittal bands arranged symmetr
ically about the midline. The boundaries of these expression domains corres
pond to transverse zones previously inferred from other expression patterns
. A third Hsp25-immunopositive domain is seen in the paraflocculus and floc
culus. Again, only a subset of Purkinje cells within the paraflocculus and
flocculus express Hsp25, revealing three distinct bands. Previous descripti
ons of compartmentation antigens have not differentiated between adult popu
lations of Purkinje cells in these regions, suggesting that Hsp25 is a nove
l compartmentation antigen in the adult cerebellum. J. Comp. Neurol. 416:38
3-397, 2000. 2000 (C) Wiley-Liss, Inc.