The expression of GAP43 mRNA during the late embryonic and early postnatal development of the CNS of the rat: an in situ hybridization study.
GAP43 is a developmentally regulated phosphoprotein which is almost exclusively found in neurons. Numerous correlative studies have shown that GAP43 is expressed at high levels during neurite extension, axonal elongation and synaptogenesis. In this study we used in situ hybridization to examine GAP43 expression during late embryonic and early postnatal development. The highest relative levels of GAP43 at all stages were present in the neocortex. Levels in this and other regions peaked between postnatal days 5 and 10. These results indicate that high levels of GAP43 mRNA correlate most highly with the latter stages of axon outgrowth and with the early stages of synapse formation.
Mahalik
T J
TJ
Department of Cellular and Structural Biology, University of Colorado, Denver 80262.
Carrier
A
A
Owens
G P
GP
Clayton
G
G
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000502:physiology*; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000378:metabolism; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000378:metabolism; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000378:metabolism; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development / Q000502:physiology; D019922:GAP-43 Protein; D008032:Limbic System / Q000378:metabolism; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051381:Rats; D013569:Synapses / Q000502:physiology
D019922:GAP-43 Protein; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger