The axonal transport motor ‘kinesin’ is bound to anterogradely transported organelles: quantitative cytofluorimetric studies of fast axonal transport in the rat

Monoclonal antibodies to the axonal transport ATPase kinesin were used in an immunofluorescent study on mammalian nerves. Following crushing of the sciatic nerve and the ventral roots of adult rats, immunoreactive material was found to accumulate rapidly, mainly proximal to a crush but also, to some degree, distal to a crush. The strongest immunofluorescence was observed after incubation with the H2 antibody against the heavy subunit of kinesin. Using the cytofluorimetric scanning (CFS) procedure, the accumulated amounts were quantified and it was found that the retrogradely accumulating kinesin-like immunoreactivity (IR) was about 4-12% of the anterogradely transported kinesin-IR. The results were compared to the vesicle marker p38 (synaptophysin), which was found to accumulate to a significant extent on both sides of the crush. Cytofluorimetric scanning measurements indicated that nearly 50% of the anterogradely accumulated p38-IR was recycling to the cell body. The results demonstrate that kinesin in the living axon is affiliated with anterogradely transported organelles. Retrogradely transported organelles appeared to carry very little kinesin-IR, suggesting that kinesin may be subject to turnover, distinct from that of p38, in the distal regions of the axon.