Histomorphological, immunohistochemical and molecular aspects of female neurons and glia with postmenopausal epilepsy

• Grant number: 05/02778-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: November 01, 2005
• End date: October 31, 2007
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Edmund Chada Baracat
• Grantee: Ivaldo da Silva
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Glial cells are emerging from the background to become more prominent in our thinking about integration in the nervous system. Recently, these cells are seen as integrating neurons inputs and modulate synaptic activity. Astrocytes surround many of the synaptic connections in the central nervous system. The possible roles for this intimate association are not clear. Our objective will be examine whether estradiol or SERMs can induce change in astrocytes shape. To this end, we will study the presence of GFAP in slices of cortex from human temporal lobe applying immunoperoxidase and molecular techniques. Histologically normal temporal lobe cortex will be obtained from discarded tissue during surgery from intractable epilepsy, immediately sliced using a vibratome (400 µm) and cultured with 17β-estradiol-supplemented media (10-8M), raloxifen (10-6M), tamoxifen (10-6M) or control medium for 60 min. The materials were studied by immunohistochemistry for GFAP (anti-GFAP).