EXPRESSION OF BRAIN LIPID-BINDING PROTEIN IN THE BRAIN OF THE ADULT CANARY AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR ADULT NEUROGENESIS

Brain lipid binding protein (BLBP), a member of the fatty acid binding protein family, is expressed at high levels in the mammalian central nervous system during development, but not in adulthood. Because the b rain of adult birds continues to show significant levels of neurogenes is, we thought it likely that BLBP expression would also be present. W e used a polyclonal antibody against BLBP to study the presence of thi s protein in the adult canary brain. This antibody stained 1) fibers a nd perikarya of radial cells in the telencephalon; 2) Bergmann glia in the cerebellum; 3) astrocytes; 4) tanicytes in the walls of the third ventricle; 5) the neuropil of certain forebrain and brainstem regions , including nuclei of the song system; and 6) some migrating cells in the telencephalon. This anatomical distribution suggests that BLBP pla ys a role in the neuronal migration and synaptic reorganization of adu lt avian brain. (C) 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.