Morphological studies on neuroglia. VII. Distribution of "brain macrophages" in brains of neonatal and adult rats, as determined by means of immunohistochemistry.

Immunohistochemical studies with the use of the peroxidase-antiperoxidase (PAP) method revealed that "amoeboid microglial cells", in the brains of neonatal rats and "brain macrophages" in lesioned brains of adult rats react positively to an antiserum raised against macrophages. In brains of neonatal rats, "amoeboid microglial cells" stained by means of the PAP-method were observed in the corpus callosum, internal capsule, dorso-lateral region of the thalamus, subventricular zone of the lateral ventricle, and the subependymal layer of the ventricular system. These cellular elements were not detected in brains of rats aged 21 days or older. Resting microglial cells displaying a typical ramified structure were not specifically stained. Cells reacting positively to the macrophage antiserum appeared (i) in the cerebral cortex of adult rats following placement of a stab wound, or (ii) in the hippocampal formation after kainic acid-induced lesions; in the damaged areas immunoreactive cells exhibited the typical features of "brain macrophages". "Brain macrophages" and "amoeboid microglial cells" are considered to belong to the class of exudate macrophages derived from blood monocytes. Thus, elements of hematogenous origin do exist in the intact brain parenchyma of neonatal rats and in lesioned brains of adult rats. The relationship between brain macrophages and resting microglial cells is discussed.