title: Characterization of HNK-1 antigens during the formation of the avian enteric nervous system.
abstract: During vertebrate embryogenesis, interaction between neural crest cells and the enteric mesenchyme gives rise to the development of the enteric nervous system. In birds, monoclonal antibody HNK-1 is a marker for neural crest cells from the entire rostrocaudal axis. In this study, we aimed to characterize the HNK-1 carrying cells and antigen(s) during the formation of the enteric nervous system in the hindgut. Immunohistological findings showed that HNK-1-positive mesenchymal cells are present in the gut prior to neural crest cell colonization. After neural crest cell colonization this cell type cannot be visualized anymore with the HNK-1 antibody. We characterized the HNK-1 antigens that are present before and after neural crest cell colonization of the hindgut. Immunoblot analysis of plasma membranes from embryonic hindgut revealed a wide array of HNK-1-carrying glycoproteins. We found that two HNK-1 antigens are present in E4 hindgut prior to neural crest cell colonization and that the expression of these antigens disappears after neural crest colonization. These two membrane glycoproteins, G-42 and G-44, have relative molecular masses of 42,000 and 44,000, respectively, and they both have isoelectric points of 5.5 under reducing conditions. We suggest that these HNK-1 antigens and the HNK-1-positive mesenchymal cells have some role in the formation of the enteric nervous system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Erasmus University, Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Luider
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Peters-van der Sanden
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Molenaar
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tibboel
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: van der Kamp
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Meijers
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000737:chemistry*; D018959:CD57 Antigens; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000276:immunology; D002642:Chick Embryo; D015180:Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional / Q000379:methods; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007422:Intestines / Q000196:embryology / Q000294:innervation*; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000276:immunology; D009024:Morphogenesis / Q000276:immunology; D009420:Nervous System / Q000196:embryology*
chemical_list: D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D018959:CD57 Antigens