The distribution of collapsin-1 mRNA in the developing chick nervous system

Collapsin-1 is a secreted glycoprotein that inhibits the extension of specific growth cones in vitro. It has been hypothesized to serve as a repulsive guidance cue for extending growth cones in vivo. Here we report the distribution of collapsin-1 message as demonstrated by in situ hybridization using digoxigenin-labeled RNA probes in wholemounts and tissue sections. In the early chick brain collapsin-1 is expressed in specific regions of the retina, the olfactory bulb, and the diencephalon. In the hindbrain collapsin-1 is first expressed in rhombomere 5 and later in bilaterally symmetric rostrocaudal stripes. Collapsin-1 is expressed in high levels in the ventral horn of the spinal cord and in ventricular stripes that extend rostrally to the hindbrain. In the periphery, collapsin-1 is expressed in the dermamyotome and in ectoderm and epidermis. Based on collapsin's expression patterns we tested axons extending from explants of ventral spinal cord and olfactory bulb for sensitivity to collapsin and show that the former are sensitive to collapsin whereas the latter are not. The distribution of collapsin mRNA is consistent with it playing a role in the organization of sensory axonal projections within the spinal cord and skin.