Follistatin expression in the central nervous system of the adult rat

Publication date: Available online 31 January 2020Source: Journal of Chemical NeuroanatomyAuthor(s): Chikara Ogawa, Sumiko Mikawa, Kanna Yamashita, Yutaro Hayashi, Kazuma Masumoto, Fuminori Katou, Kohji SatoAbstractFollistatin was initially cloned as a monomeric polypeptide that inhibits the release of follicle-stimulating hormone. Although follistatin also plays pivotal roles in skeletal muscle hypertrophy and immunoregulation in the epididymis, little information is available regarding follistatin function in the adult central nervous system (CNS). Hence, we investigated follistatin expression in the adult rat CNS using immunohistochemistry. Follistatin was intensely expressed in most neurons and their axons. Furthermore, oligodendrocytes, ependymal cells, and some astrocytes also expressed follistatin protein. These data indicate that follistatin is widely expressed throughout the adult CNS. The abundant expression of follistatin in the adult brain suggests that this protein plays important roles in the CNS.
Source: Journal of Chemical Neuroanatomy - Category: Neuroscience Source Type: research