The cystine ‐glutamate exchanger (xCT, Slc7a11) is expressed in significant concentrations in a subpopulation of astrocytes in the mouse brain

Conclusions: xCT is present in select blood/brain/CSF interface areas and in an astrocyte subpopulation, in sufficient quantities to support the notion that system
provides physiologically relevant transport activity.

Main Points

Immunohistochemistry (validated using knockout mice) reveals a selective, but variable xCT expression in astrocytes and strong labeling in the leptomeninges, along blood vessels and in some tanycytes.
The hippocampal xCT/EAAT3 ratio is close to one.

Source: Glia - January 19, 2018 Category: Neurology Authors: Sigrid Ottestad ‐Hansen, Qiu Xiang Hu, Virgine Veronique Follin‐Arbelet, Eduard Bentea, Hideyo Sato, Ann Massie, Yun Zhou, Niels Christian Danbolt Tags: RESEARCH ARTICLE Source Type: research