Astrocyte Marker GFAP in Gliocytes of Peripheral Nervous System.

Glial cells of the peripheral nervous system (PNS) are one of the major focuses of modern neurobilogy. This review aims to summarize our own and literature data on the expression and distribution patterns of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in PNS glial cells, specifically, in the enteric nervous system, dorsal root ganglia, and peripheral nerves. A comparative study of different PNS gliocyte populations shows that GFAP, a key intermediate filament protein, has different distribution patterns in these cells. Analysis of the literature demonstrates that although this protein is widely employed as a molecular marker of glial activation, there is still a lack of understanding of the exact mechanisms behind its involvement in glial reactivity. The described features of GFAP-expressing gliocytes in different parts of the PNS reveals a functional polymorphism of this protein. Its ability to be expressed in PNS gliocytes in response to injury requires further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]