SELECTIVE DISTRIBUTION OF THE 66-KDA NEURONAL INTERMEDIATE FILAMENT PROTEIN IN THE SENSORY AND AUTONOMIC NERVOUS-SYSTEM OF THE GUINEA-PIG

The immunohistochemical distribution of a recently identified 66-kDa neurofilament protein (NF-66) was investigated in peripheral and autonomic ganglia of the guinea-pig where it has been previously established that other neuronal intermediate filament proteins have a selective distribution. NF-66 immunoreactivity was observed in distinct subpopulations of neurons and did not coexist completely with either the neurofilament triplet or a 57-kDa intermediate filament protein (peripherin). NF-66 labelling was identical to that observed with an antibody to a 150-kDa intermediate filament or associated protein (CHI). These results further demonstrate that different neuronal intermediate filament proteins are present in selective subpopulations of neurons and that these proteins are, therefore, likely to have cell type-specific roles.