The Appropriate Marker for Astrocytes: Comparing the Distribution and Expression of Three Astrocytic Markers in Different Mouse Cerebral Regions

Astrocytes possess different morphological characteristics depending on the cerebral region in which they are found. However, none of the current astrocytic markers can label all subpopulations successfully. Thus, identifying the appropriate marker for a specific scientific investigation is critical. Here, we compared the distribution and protein expression of three astrocyte markers: NDRG2, GFAP, and S100β, in the cortex, hippocampus, and thalamus. NDRG2- and S100β-positive astrocytes were distributed more uniformly than GFAP-positive astrocytes throughout the whole cerebrum. NDRG2 and S100β immunoreactivities were the strongest in the dorsal cortex and thalamus, while GFAP immunoreactivity was the strongest in the hippocampus. Moreover, protein expression levels of NDRG2, GFAP, and S100β in adult mice were the highest in the cortex, hippocampus, and thalamus, respectively. We also detected astrocyte morphology and found that, in the corpus callosum and cerebral peduncle, GFAP-positive astrocytes were found with more numerous and longer processes than NDRG2- and S100β-positive astrocytes. These results demonstrate that NDRG2 and S100β are more suitably used to visualize the overall distribution and changes in the number of astrocytes, as well as label astrocytes in the cortex and thalamus. GFAP, however, is more appropriately used to label astrocytes in the corpus callosum, cerebral peduncle, and the hippocampus. These results help to guide researchers in the choice of appropriate astrocyte marker and suggest differences in immunological qualities of astrocytes based on the tissue in which they are found.