GFAP

Background

Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein(GFAP) is a kind of intermediate silk protein with a molecular weight of about 50 kDa. In the central nervous system, GFAP is expressed in astrocytes and ependymal cells, but not in other glial cells. However, it may be expressed in some immature oligodendrocytes and choroid plexus cells. GFAP is also expressed in Schwann cells and satellite cells of sensory ganglia in peripheral nervous system, and in myoepithelial cells and chondrocytes. In tumor tissue, GFAP is expressed in astrocytoma, ependymoma, malignant glioma, oligodendrocytoma and Schwann cell tumor. In most cases, chondroma, chondrosarcoma and pleomorphic adenoma also showed GFAP positive. This marker is mainly used to judge glioma and metastasis.