Proliferative events experimentally induced by transient cold shock in the brain of adult terrestrial heterothermic vertebrates: Preliminary analysis of PCNA expression in Triturus carnifex

Experimental procedures used to investigate the persistence, location and abundance of scattered ("matrix cells") and/or clustered ("matrix areas") stem cells in the brain, responsible for proliferation in adult terrestrial heterothermic vertebrates have included an induced transient drop in body temperature in specimens subsequently deprived of encephalic areas. In a set of coordinated investigations focused on the influence of an exposure to a drastic thermally environment on these activities, we gave priority to Triturus carnifex, since there is a much larger amount of detailed, unequivocal experimental evidence available for this species than for other vertebrates of the same evolutionary level. In the present study, cold-shocked newts were examined after a stay at external temperature (the most suitable one based on previous experience) to allow the maximal expression of cerebral proliferation. In a qualitative evaluation, the brain of experimental specimens compared with that of normal individuals seemed not to show, contrary to expectations, more pronounced cell proliferation as assessed by Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen immunolabelling of neural-like cells in the S phase of cell cycle. This discrepancy with previous reports from other authors may depend on having used cold stress alone, while other traumatic stimuli (operatory shock, encephalic injury) administered by the previous authors might have induced a greater number of cells to move from a stand-by condition to proliferation, allowing for reparative and/or regenerative phenomena. © 2013 Firenze University Press.