Immunohistochemical studies on mouse cerebral cortex grafted into the third ventricle of rats treated with cyclosporin A.

Newborn mouse cerebral cortex was transplanted into the third ventricle of an adult rat brain. After the operation, the immunosuppressant cyclosporin A was administered daily for two weeks, and the grafted tissue was examined immunohistochemically at the 4th week. Neurons, astroglias and oligodendroglias were positively stained by antibodies against neurofilament, glial fibrillary acid protein and 2',3'-cyclic nucleotide 3'-phosphodiesterase (CNPase), respectively. The CNPase staining indicated that myelination had occurred in the grafted tissue. Thus both neuronal and glial elements in the grafted tissue could survive and mature in the third ventricle of the different species upon administration of cyclosporin A.