The Oxidative stress and Bioenergetics research group at University of Extremadura studies for several years the cytochrome b5 reductase/cytochrome b5 (Cb5R/Cb5) system, an enzymatic system with increasing relevance in different physiological and pathological processes. In this last work, the regional and cellular distribution of Cb5R/Cb5 in rat brain was examined by immunohistochemistry and it was found an high expression in cells at the cerebellar cortex and nuclei, and in pyramidal neurons in the brain cortex and hippocampus. Using a FRET technique, it was possible to observe that a large part of Cb5R was regionalized in close proximity to the lipid raft-like membrane domains, with possible implications for its roles in cellular redox signaling, metabolism of lipids and toxic compounds.

Authors: Alejandro K. Samhan-Arias, Carmen López-Sánchez, Dorinda Marques-da-Silva, Ricardo Lagoa, Virginio Garcia-Lopez, Virginio García-Martínez, Carlos Gutierrez-Merino

Published in: Brain Structure and Function

doi: 10.1007/s00429-015-1036-5