GFAP (Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein)

Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) is the 10nm or intermediate filament protein found specifically in astrocytic cells in the central nervous system. GFAP is strongly and specifically expressed in astrocytes and certain other astroglia in the central nervous system, in satellite cells in peripheral ganglia, and in non-myelinating Schwann cells in peripheral nerves. In many damage and disease states GFAP expression is heavily upregulated in astrocytes. In addition neural stem cells frequently strongly express GFAP. Antibodies to GFAP are therefore very useful as markers of astrocytic cells...