Regional differences in intraneuronal localization of alpha-fetoprotein in developing mouse brain.

Estrogen receptor-containing regions of limbic, hypothalamic and amygdaloid areas of the developing mouse brain exhibited little or no intraneuronal immunofluorescence reactivity for AFP in comparison with the bright fluorescence of adjacent regions. These regional differences in the topographic distribution of intraneuronal AFP may represent intrinsic differences in the uptake, turnover or immunoreactivity of the internalized protein, perhaps related to estrogen metabolism by such neurons.