Localization of the neural calcium-binding protein VILIP (visinin-like protein) in neurons of the chick visual system and cerebellum

摘要: The visinin-like protein (VILIP) is a member of recently discovered family calcium sensors specifically expressed in neurons. Family members contain four potential calcium-binding domains commonly referred to as ”EF-hand motifs”. VILIP interacts calcium-dependent manner with the actin-based neuronal cytoskeleton and modulates phosphorylation G-protein-coupled receptors, i.e., rhodopsin, vitro. Here, we have used antisera against study its distribution chick brain. Immunostaining subsets neurons observed throughout Generally, coincides well transcripts detected previously by situ hybridization. most intense expression visual system cerebellum. In system, nuclei ascending tecto-fugal pathway are stained, pretectal, isthmic, oculomotor nuclei. immunoreactivity found cell bodies, dendrites, synaptic structures. Thus, appears be an excellent marker for characterization pathway. cerebellum, deep cerebellar subset granule cells, Golgi type II basket stellate whereas it completely absent from Purkinje cells. Intense punctate staining molecular layer suggests that transported cells glutamatergic climbing-fiber parallel-fiber synapses, respectively, both which terminate on Purkinje-cell dendrites. localization these presynaptic terminals has been confirmed at electron-microscopic level.