Regional and temporal progression of reactive astrocytosis in the brain of the myelin mutant taiep rat.

Reactive astrocytosis in taiep rats was shown by glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) immunoreactivity measured by means of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and indirect immunofluorescence. Increased GFAP immunoreactivity was first observed in the brainstem of 15-day-old taiep rats and was widespread throughout all brain regions at 6 months of age. Characteristically, astrocytes were hypertrophic and displayed strong GFAP fluorescence. The pattern of these reactive cells may correlate with the process of dysmyelination in the taiep rat.