Spontaneous perikaryal neurofilament phosphorylation in the septofimbrial nucleus of the rat.

Phosphorylation of the 200 kDa neurofilament peptide NF-H usually only occurs in axons. We describe the spontaneous presence of phosphorylated NF-H in a population of small spindle-shaped neurons of the rat septofimbrial nucleus. A similar phenomenon has been observed in axotomized neurons and in human neurodegenerative diseases. Our observations, as well as previous studies by other authors, indicate that perikaryal neurofilament phosphorylation is not necessarily linked to pathological conditions.