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. 2010 May 12:1330:9-19.
doi: 10.1016/j.brainres.2010.03.026. Epub 2010 Mar 15.

Slow age-dependent decline of doublecortin expression and BrdU labeling in the forebrain from lesser hedgehog tenrecs

Alán Alpár  1 , Heinz Künzle, Ulrich Gärtner, Yulia Popkova, Ute Bauer, Jens Grosche, Andreas Reichenbach, Wolfgang Härtig
Affiliations

Slow age-dependent decline of doublecortin expression and BrdU labeling in the forebrain from lesser hedgehog tenrecs

Alán Alpár et al. Brain Res. .

Abstract

In addition to synaptic remodeling, formation of new neurons is increasingly acknowledged as an important cue for plastic changes in the central nervous system. Whereas all vertebrates retain a moderate neuroproliferative capacity, phylogenetically younger mammals become dramatically impaired in this potential during aging. The present study shows that the lesser hedgehog tenrec, an insectivore with a low encephalization index, preserves its neurogenic potential surprisingly well during aging. This was shown by quantitative analysis of 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) immunolabeling in the olfactory bulb, paleo-, archi-, and neocortices from 2- to 7-year-old animals. In addition to these newly born cells, a large number of previously formed immature neurons are present throughout adulthood as shown by doublecortin (DCX) immunostaining in various forebrain regions including archicortex, paleocortex, nucleus accumbens, and amygdala. Several ventricle-associated cells in olfactory bulb and hippocampus were double-labeled by BrdU and DCX immunoreactivity. However, most DCX cells in the paleocortex can be considered as persisting immature neurons that obviously do not enter a differentiation program since double fluorescence labeling does not reveal their co-occurrence with numerous neuronal markers, whereas only a small portion coexpresses the pan-neuronal marker HuC/D. Finally, the present study reveals tenrecs as suitable laboratory animals to study age-dependent brain alterations (e.g., of neurogenesis) or slow degenerative processes, particularly due to the at least doubled longevity of tenrecs in comparison to mice and rats.

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