Acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF) is expressed in the neuronal and glial spinal cord cells of adult mice.

Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) are known to be synthesized in the central nervous system (CNS) and to act on CNS cells in vitro, but less is known about their synthesis, expression, and role in vivo. In this work, using specific anti-acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF) antibodies, we have shown for the first time, by immunohistochemistry, that aFGF is expressed in spinal cord cells of young adult normal mice. This expression is predominant in the cell nucleus. Using immunohistochemical double staining procedures, we identified the cell type expressing aFGF as neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes, but for each type, cells were not all positively immunostained.