Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP): the major protein of glial intermediate filaments in differentiated astrocytes.

The glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFA protein or GFAP) is the major protein constituent of glial intermediate filaments in differentiated fibrous and protoplasmic astrocytes of the central nervous system. Proteins having similar molecular weights, isoelectric points, and immunoreactivity with GFAP have been found in cells of neural crest and ectodermal origin. A putative function ascribed to glial filaments is its role as a component of the cytoskeleton in defining and maintaining the shape of the astrocyte. Since 1980, over 350 reports have utilized antisera to GFAP for immunochemical and immunocytochemical studies.