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Nucleic acids, total and glial protein changes in rat brain with aging

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Abstract

The wet weights and the amounts of total protein, RNA, DNA, S100 protein and carbonic anhydrase were measured in cerebrum, cerebellum and brain stem of adult and old rats. We found a general increase of wet weight, DNA and total protein and an important increase of the amounts of S100 protein and carbonic anhydrase relatively to the soluble proteins in brain of old rats (30 months) compared to that of young adults (3 months). These findings show that in older rat brain, the total number of cells is increased whereas the average quantity of protein and wet weight per unit of DNA remained constant. A decrease of RNA to DNA ratio is found in old rat brain. This fact together with the increase of the relative amount of glial specific proteins suggest an increase of the glial cell population referred to neurons with aging. However, modifications of the neuronal and/or glial cell metabolism cannot be excluded.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre de Neurochimie du CNRS, and Unité 44 de 1’INSERM, 11, Rue Humann, 67085, Strasbourg Cedex, France

    M. Wintzerith, G. Labourdette, J. P. Delaunoy & P. Mandel

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  1. M. Wintzerith
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  2. G. Labourdette
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  3. J. P. Delaunoy
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  4. P. Mandel
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Wintzerith, M., Labourdette, G., Delaunoy, J.P. et al. Nucleic acids, total and glial protein changes in rat brain with aging. AGE 1, 125–129 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02432186

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