Expression of neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) in the peripheral nerve fibers demonstrated by postembedding immunogold method on ultrathin sections. A preliminary study.

The neural cell adhesion molecule, NCAM, is thought to be necessary for the interaction between neurons, axons and glial cells, axons and target structures, and for myelination. The NCAM localization in the peripheral nerves has been less well studied. The data have shown significant differences. In this study, the distribution of the NCAM immunoreactivity in the sciatic nerves of 10- and 15-day-old Wistar rats was examined on ultrathin sections by the immunogold postembedding method. The sections were immunotested with a polyclonal antibody (Santa Cruz Biotechnology) that recognizes rat NCAM. The antibody was visualized with donkey anti-goat IgG, conjugated to 6 nm colloidal gold. NCAM immuno-like activity was found on axoplasmic profiles of myelinated and nonmyelinated axons, at non-assembled myelin lamellae, and at axo-glial junctions of the paranodes. The compact myelin and the Schwann cell cytoplasm were immunonegative. The presence of some NCAM immunoactivity on the level of the noncompact myelin membranes, deprived of the major myelin protein Po, might be associated with the mechanism of their maintenance.