Related Experiment Videos
Synapsin I expression in spinal cord neurons during chick embryo development
M Plateroti1, A L Vignoli, S Biagioni
1Dipartimento di Biologia Cellulare e dello Sviluppo, Università di Roma La Sapienza, Italy.
Journal of Neuroscience Research
|December 1, 1994
Summary
Synapsin I expression in chick spinal cord neurons increases during development and is modulated by muscle factors. This protein
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Synapsin I is a key synaptic vesicle protein involved in regulating neurotransmitter release.
- Understanding its developmental regulation is crucial for comprehending neural circuit formation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the cellular distribution and developmental expression of synapsin I in the chick spinal cord.
- To determine the influence of target tissues, specifically muscle, on synapsin I expression in developing neurons.
Main Methods:
- Immunocytochemistry was used to visualize synapsin I distribution in vivo and in cultured spinal cord neurons.
- Western blot, Northern blot, and in situ hybridization were employed to quantify synapsin I and its mRNA levels.
Main Results:
- Synapsin I expression is low in early embryonic spinal cords (E5-E8) and increases by embryonic day 9 (E9).
- In vitro, synapsin I is localized to cell bodies in E8 cultures and to both cell bodies and fibers in E9 cultures.
- Muscle extracts significantly increased synapsin I and its mRNA in cultured E8 neurons, mimicking E9 expression patterns.
Conclusions:
- Synapsin I expression and transport to nerve terminals are regulated by developmental stage and potentially sequential signaling.
- Soluble factors from target cells, like muscle, can modulate synapsin I expression in developing spinal cord neurons.