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Immunophenotypic evidence for distinct populations of microglia in the rat hypothalamo-neurohypophysial system

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Abstract

The morphology, distribution and immunophenotype of microglia throughout the adult rat hypothalamo-neurohypophysial system was examined. Four macrophage-associated antibodies (OX-42, F4/80, ED1 and ED2) were used; the expression of major histocompatibility complex antigens was investigated by use of antibodies against OX-6, OX-17 (MHC class II) and OX-18 (MHC class I). Three distinct types of microglia were identified. The first was located in the magnocellular nuclei; these ‘radially branched’ (‘ramified’) microglia had round cell bodies and long branched processes, and were strongly immunoreactive only for OX-42. The second was located outside the blood-brain barrier in the median eminence, pituitary stalk and neurohypophysis often close to blood vessels; these ‘compact’ microglia had irregular cell bodies and shorter processes, and were strongly labelled by OX-42 and F4/80, weakly labelled by OX-18, and generally unlabelled by ED1, ED2, OX-6 and OX-17. The third type was found in small numbers throughout the system at the surface of the neurvous tissue or around blood vessels; these ‘perivascular’ microglia were elongated cells with no branching processes, and were strongly labelled by ED1, ED2, OX-18, OX-6, OX-17 and F4/80 antibodies but showed variable OX-42 immunoreactivity. Cells in a perivascular location were heterogeneous with respect to their immunophenotype. The presence in the normal adult rat hypothalamo-neurohypophysial system of MHC class-II molecules (OX-6 and OX-17) on a sub-set of perivascular microglia suggests that these cells are capable of presenting antigen to T lymphocytes. The microglia, which lie on either side of the blood-brain barrier, are well placed to facilitate interaction between the immune and neuroendocrine systems.

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  1. T. H. Mander

    Present address: Xenova Ltd, 240 Bath Road, SL1 4EF, Slough, UK

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Human Anatomy, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, OXI 3QX, Oxford, UK

    T. H. Mander & J. F. Morris

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  1. T. H. Mander
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  2. J. F. Morris
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Mander, T.H., Morris, J.F. Immunophenotypic evidence for distinct populations of microglia in the rat hypothalamo-neurohypophysial system. Cell Tissue Res 280, 665–673 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00318369

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00318369

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