Differential expression of cytoskeletal proteins in the dendrites of parvalbumin-positive interneurons versus granule cells in the adult rat dentate gyrus

Parvalbumin-positive interneurons and granule cells of the dentate gyrus ex hibit characteristic differences in morphological, cytochemical, physiologi cal, and pathophysiological properties. Several of these defining features, including dendritic morphology, spine density, and sensitivity to insults, are likely to be influenced by the neuronal cytoskeleton. The data in this paper demonstrate striking differences in the expression levels of ail thr ee neurofilament triplet proteins, as well as alpha-internexin and beta-tub ulin III, between the panalbumin-positive interneurons and dentate granule cells. Therefore, the molecular composition of intermediate filaments and m icrotubules in the dendritic domain of pawalbumin-positive dentate interneu rons is distinct from the cytoskeleton of neighboring granule cells, indica ting the existence of highly cell type-specific cytoskeletal architecture w ithin the dentate gyrus. (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.