Insect glial cells show differential expression of a glycolipid-derived, glucuronic acid-containing epitope throughout neurogenesis: detection during postembryogenesis and regeneration in the central nervous system of Tenebrio molitor L.
The monoclonal antibody CAF-1 recognises a glucuronic acid-containing epitope present on insect acidic glycolipids. Immunohistochemical analysis of the CAF-1 epitope has revealed its differential, temporal and spatial expression during postembryogenesis of the midbrain of Tenebrio molitor. Electron microscopic resolution demonstrated, that the CAF-1 epitope is expressed on glial cells that ensheath the glomeruli of the central body. Concomitantly, a differential pattern of expression was observed in the ventral nerve cord, exhibiting a serially homologous display on glial cells that ensheath neuronal somata in the cell body layer of the thoracic ganglia and ventral associative neuropil. Prominent, topologically restricted CAF-1 immunoreactivity was monitored in termination areas of sensory neurons in the ventral associative neuropil and corresponding nerves 6-48 h after extirpation of the respective sensory neuron somata. CAF-1 expression is correlated with structural reorganisation in postembryonic nervous tissue of T. molitor.