Survival and migration of transplanted male glia in adult female mouse brains monitored by a Y-chromosome-specific probe.

A Y-chromosome-specific probe and in situ hybridization technology have been used to monitor the survival and migration of neonatal male glia isografted to the left cerebral hemisphere of adult female mice. More than 95% of the cultured donor glia were glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-positive astrocytes. By 4 weeks, large numbers of transplanted glia were found in both cerebral hemispheres; the extent of glial migration was greatest in white matter tracts. This method provides a new way of identifying all surviving donor cells within the brains of immunologically compatible hosts.