Kinectin distribution in chicken nervous system.

Kinectin, a major kinesin receptor on endoplasmic reticulum, was visualized with anti-kinectin monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) in the adult chicken nervous system in comparison with kinesin immunostaining. Anti-kinectin mAbs punctately stained cell bodies and proximal dendrites of motor neurons in spinal cords. Axons of motor neurons were not stained with anti-kinectin mAbs, but stained heavily with anti-kinesin mAbs. This suggest that the kinesin receptor responsible for kinesin-driven anterograde fast axonal transport is different from kinectin. Anti-kinectin mAbs strongly stained neuronal cell bodies in spinal ganglion, nuclei in brainstem, cerebellar nuclei, striatum and cerebral cortex. Small neurons in cerebellar cortex and optic lobe showed relatively weak reaction, suggesting that the amount of kinectin correlates with the size of neuronal cell bodies.