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Patterning spinal nerves and vertebral bones.

Roger Keynes1

  • 1Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.

Journal of Anatomy
|October 25, 2017
PubMed
Summary

Spinal nerve development involves growth cones avoiding vertebrae by navigating the anterior sclerotome. A specific glycoprotein in posterior sclerotomes repels growth cones, guiding nerve-bone separation and potentially influencing neural plasticity.

Keywords:
axoncontact repulsiongrowth conesclerotomesegmentationsomitespinal nervevertebral column

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Biology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Spinal nerve segmentation is crucial for peripheral nervous system (PNS) anatomy.
  • During development, spinal nerve axons navigate through sclerotomes, avoiding vertebral elements.
  • This navigation ensures the separation of nerves from developing bones.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the molecular mechanisms guiding spinal nerve axon pathfinding during development.
  • To identify the role of specific glycoproteins in preventing nerve-bone contact.
  • To explore the potential evolutionary link between developmental guidance cues and neural plasticity.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of gene expression patterns in developing somites.
  • Immunohistochemical staining to detect glycoprotein distribution.
  • In vitro assays to assess growth cone repulsion by specific cell populations.
  • Comparative analysis of glycoprotein homologs in avian and mammalian models.

Main Results:

  • A glycoprotein is identified on posterior half-sclerotome cells.
  • This glycoprotein mediates contact repulsion of motor and sensory growth cones.
  • Growth cones are confined to the anterior half-sclerotomes, ensuring nerve-bone separation.
  • A similar glycoprotein is found in avian and mammalian grey matter.

Conclusions:

  • The identified glycoprotein plays a key role in preventing spinal nerves from associating with vertebral bodies.
  • This mechanism ensures proper anatomical separation of the nervous and skeletal systems.
  • The presence of similar glycoproteins in the central nervous system suggests a conserved function, potentially in regulating neural plasticity.