Expression of astrocytic nestin in the rat hippocampus during trimethyltin-induced neurodegeneration

In this study we used an immunocytochemical approach to study nestin expression in the rat hippocampus during trimethyltin-induced neurodegeneration at different time points (5, 10, 15, 21 and 50 days) after intoxication. Nestin is transiently expressed by a subpopulation of astroglial cells strictly associated with pyramidal neurons in those hippocampal areas severely affected by degeneration. This observation shows that cerebral tissue re-expresses this developmental protein during neurodegenerative diseases in early stages of astroglial activation.