* Localisation of N-acetylaspartate in oligodendrocytes/myelin.
- The role of N-acetylaspartate in the brain is unclear. Here we used specific antibodies against N-acetylaspartate and immunocytochemistry of carbodiimide-fixed adult rodent brain to show that, besides staining of neuronal cell bodies in the grey matter, N-acetylaspartate labelling was present in oligodendrocytes/myelin in white matter tracts. Immunoelectron microscopy of the rat hippocampus showed that N-acetylaspartate was concentrated in the myelin. Also neuronal cell bodies and axons contained significant amounts of N-acetylaspartate, while synaptic elements and astrocytes were low in N-acetylaspartate. Mitochondria in axons and neuronal cell bodies contained higher levels of N-acetylaspartate compared to the cytosol, compatible with synthesis of N-acetylaspartate in mitochondria. In aspartoacylase knockout mice, in which catabolism of N-acetylaspartate is blocked, the levels of N-acetylaspartate were largely increased in oligodendrocytes/myelin. In these mice, the highest myelin concentration of N-acetylaspartate was found in the cerebellum, a region showing overt dysmyelination. In organotypic cortical slice cultures there was no evidence for N-acetylaspartate-induced myelin toxicity, supporting the notion that myelin damage is induced by the lack of N-acetylaspartate for lipid production. Our findings also implicate that N-acetylaspartate signals on magnetic resonance spectroscopy reflect not only vital neurons but also vital oligodendrocytes/myelin.
=>役目, 役割, 任務, 職務, 役
Overview of noun role
The noun role has 4 senses (first 4 from tagged texts)
1. (34) function, office, part, role -- (the actions and activities assigned to or required or
expected of a person or group; "the function of a teacher"; "the government must do its part"; "play
its role")
2. (10) character, role, theatrical role, part, persona -- (an actor's portrayal of someone in a
play; "she played the part of Desdemona")
3. (8) function, purpose, role, use -- (what something is used for; "the function of an auger is to
bore holes"; "ballet is beautiful but what use is it?")
4. (6) role -- (normal or customary activity of a person in a particular social setting; "what is
your role on the team?")
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