Differential kinetics of histone H1(0) accumulation in neuronal and glial cells from rat cerebral cortex during postnatal development.

The accumulation of histone H1(0) as been studied in neuronal and glial nuclei from rat cerebral cortex during postnatal development. In neurons H1 degrees represents approximately 2% of the H1 content at birth and remains unchanged until day 8. Beyond this point H1 accumulates rapidly until day 18, where it levels off at 16% of H1. The midpoint of the transition is at day 14. In glial cells H1 represents approximately 2.5% of the H1 at birth. It starts to accumulate between days 18 and 21; its concentration raises rapidly up to day 30 slowing down from then on. At day 300 (the farthest point examined) it represents 21% of H1. These results are discussed in relation to the events of the postnatal development of the cerebral cortex in the rat. It is concluded that H1 probably does not suppress cell proliferation.