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Labeling F-actin Barbed Ends with Rhodamine-actin in Permeabilized Neuronal Growth Cones
Published on: March 17, 2011
Modulation of growth cone morphology by substrate-bound adhesion molecules
H R Payne1, S M Burden, V Lemmon
1Department of Neurosciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106-4975.
Cell Motility and the Cytoskeleton
|January 1, 1992
Summary
Different adhesion molecules significantly alter growth cone morphology during axon development. This study reveals how molecules like L1/8D9, N-cadherin, and laminin influence growth cone shape and behavior, crucial for neural guidance.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cell Biology
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- The growth cone is essential for axon guidance during neural development and regeneration.
- Environmental cues guide axons, but the molecules controlling growth cone behavior are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of specific adhesion molecules on retinal ganglion cell growth cone morphology in vitro.
- To characterize how different extracellular matrix molecules influence growth cone structure and function.
Main Methods:
- Scanning electron microscopy was used to analyze growth cone morphology.
- Retinal ganglion cell growth cones were cultured in vitro on substrates coated with L1/8D9, N-cadherin, and laminin.
Main Results:
- L1/8D9 and N-cadherin promoted lamellipodial structures, while laminin supported filopodial growth cones.
- Growth cones on L1/8D9 were larger, produced more filopodia, and showed frequent inter-growth cone associations.
- Laminin and N-cadherin resulted in less frequent filopodial associations.
Conclusions:
- Adhesion molecules differentially regulate growth cone morphology, impacting axon guidance.
- Substrate composition plays a critical role in determining growth cone behavior and structure.
- These findings provide insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying axon pathfinding.
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