Substrate-bound factors stimulate engorgement of growth cone lamellipodia during neurite elongation

The surfaces on which neurons grow greatly affect neurite elongation, but it is unclear how substrates influence the events within the growth cone that bring about elongation. Neurite elongation by Aplysia californica neurons in culture occurs through a series of transformations of the structures of the growth cone (Goldberg and Burmeister, J. Cell Biol., 103:1921-1931, 1986). The growth cone produces actin-rich protrusions, veils, and lamellipodia, which can then mature into the central body of the growth cone through the net advance of microtubules and membranous organelles from contiguous central regions, a process called "engorgement." Aplysia neurons form growth cones on poly-l-lysine-treated substrates, but their rate of neurite elongation is greatly enhanced on substrates additionally exposed to Aplysia hemolymph. The acute application of hemolymph to slowly growing neurites brings about a rapid acceleration of neurite elongation and engorgement. The enhancement of engorgement was effected with material eluted from hemolymph-treated substrates and was not seen when hemolymph was added to neurons cultured on hemolymph-treated substrates inactivated by exposure to UV radiation. Thus, we conclude that the rapid acceleration of engorgement caused by hemolymph is, in large part, a substrate-mediated effect. We propose that extracellular substrate molecules can modulate the rate of neurite growth through the regulation of the engorgement of lamellipodia. The microtubule disrupters colcemid and nocodazole inhibit the advance of vesicular elements into the lamellipodia following hemolymph treatment, but taxol, which promotes the polymerization and stabilization of microtubules, does not itself enhance engorgement. The microfilament disrupter cytochalasin B, however, stimulates engorgement. Our results suggest that regulating the resistance of the peripheral actin meshwork to penetration by microtubules and vesicles may be a mechanism by which substrate-attached molecules regulate neurite advance.