Autoradiographic studies of protein turnover in motoneurons of IDPN-treated rats

Summary Autoradiography was performed in order to envisage the turnover of H³-leucin labeled protein in the perikarya of spinal motoneurons and in the axonal balloons formed after repeated administrations of IDPN (--iminodiproprionitrile) in rats.These results suggested that (1) there was no significant, if any,in situ protein synthesis within the axon balloons, (2) the protein turnover was not appreciably altered in the perikarya of the control and IDPN-intoxicated rats, and (3) the labeled protein collected in the axon balloons seemed to be transported from the perikarya to which they were linked with short axonal segments (30 in average length).Supported in part by U.S. NIH Institutional Research Grant (and Neurology Foundation).