Immunohistochemical detection of cellular prion protein (PrPc) in the rat central nervous system

A simple conventional method of immunohistochemistry (i.e. fixing the frozen sections in cold methanol) was used to determine the immunolocalization of cellular prion protein (PrPc), with good results. In the rat cerebrum, the cytoplasm of neural cells in the cortex and corpus stratum, pia mater, membrane limitans gliae superficialis, choroid plexus and blood vessel wall were immunostained. The formation of network structures of immunostained neural and/or glial fibers in the cerebral cortex was also observed. These immunostained network structures of neural and/or glial fibers were also observed in cultured neural cells. The results suggest that fixation of frozen sections and cultured cells with cold methanol is a useful method for detecting the immunolocalization of PrPc and that PrPc exists in the various components of the central nervous system of the rat.