Immunocytochemical study of macrophages and microglial cells and extracellular matrix components in human CNS disease. 2. Non-neoplastic diseases.

For comparison with an earlier paper on gliomas (Morris and Esiri, J. Neurol. Sci., 101 (1991) 47-58), we have used an immunocytochemical approach to examine the reactions of astrocytes, macrophages and microglia and alterations to the extracellular matrix components fibonectin and laminin in 15 cases of non-neoplastic CNS disease. We compared recently available markers for the detection of macrophages and microglia (monoclonals Mac387, KP1 and the lectin RCA-1) and also used antisera to GFAP, fibronectin and laminin. RCA-1 was the superior marker for detecting macrophages and microglia but it also reacted with endothelial cells in normal and reactive brain. The numbers of macrophages and microglia were highly variable, depending on the type of lesion. Fibronectin and laminin were largely confined to the vasculature and leptomeninges. The relationship between the extracellular matrix and the astrocyte, macrophage and microglial reactions is discussed.