Abstract
Neurodegeneration and gliosis may play important roles in kindling epileptogenesis. These changes have been analyzed mainly in hippocampus region and astrogliosis. However, the role of microgloisis in kindling is not very clear. In the present study, we analyzed the microglial activationin brain of kindled mice during and after seizure susceptibility formation. Microglia were stained by an antibody against ionized calcium-binding adaptor molecule (Iba 1) which is a specific marker protein for microglia. Iba 1 immunoreactivity was found to be highest at kindling stage of Clonus 2 and lowered at Clonus 5 in the thalamus and CA3 areas of hippocampus. The other areas such as the hilar part of dentate gyrus and periform cortex showed an increase of immunoreactivity with the progression of the kindling stage. These findings indicate dynamic changes in microglial activation in different kindling stages, and suggest that microgliosis may play a role in formation of new circuits in the brain following kindling. [J Physiol Sci. 2008;58 Suppl:S49]
