Fig. 1

Neuregulin-1 is localized in the post-synaptic face of C-bouton in the mouse spinal motor neurons. (a) Domain structures for murine Neuregulin-1 (NRG1) type III (Type III-β1a, based on gene accession number: NM 178591) and type I (Type I-β1a, based on gene accession number: AY648976). The anti-NRG1 antibody used in this study recognizes both Type I and Type III NRG1. Arrows indicate the sites of primers used for quantitative PCR in Fig. 2. (b–d) Representative images of lumbar spinal cord sections from 4 month old wild-type mice (C57BL/6) stained with the antibodies for neuregulin-1 (NRG1) (b), Kv2.1 (c), along with the merged image stained by NRG-1, Kv2.1, and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) antibodies (d). Inset showed magnified image of C-bouton indicated by asterisk (d). (e–h) Representative images of lumbar spinal cord sections from 4 month old wild-type mice stained with the antibodies for neuregulin-1 (NRG1) (e), m2 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (m2) (f), along with the merged image stained with NRG1, m2, and ChAT antibodies (g). Magnified Z-axis images of the C-bouton in (e–g: arrow) (h). (i) Representative image of motor neuron stained by NRG1, VAChT, and NeuN antibodies. (j) Magnified Z axis-images of the C-bouton in (e: asterisk). Bar: 20 μm (b–d, i), 12.5 μm (e–g)