title: Neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells deficient in GAP-43.
abstract: The neuronal cell line PC12 undergoes a well-documented morphological and biochemical differentiation when treated with NGF and other growth factors. A hallmark of this growth factor-mediated differentiation is the induction of the growth-associated protein, GAP-43. Here we show that a PC12 cell line which is capable of NGF-, bFGF-, and cAMP-mediated neurite outgrowth is deficient in GAP-43 protein and full-length mRNA, as measured by immunocytochemistry, Western blot, Northern blot, and PCR analyses, respectively. We propose that the GAP-43 protein may not be essential for the initial extension and maintenance of neurites induced by these neuritogenic factors; rather, its role may lie predominantly in growth cone function and in the operation of the presynaptic terminal.
authors.affiliation: Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, CNS Molecular Biology, Wallingford, Connecticut 06492.
authors.forename: E E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Baetge
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Hammang
mesh_terms: D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms; D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001483:Base Sequence; D015153:Blotting, Western; D019922:GAP-43 Protein; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000494:pharmacology; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D010673:Pheochromocytoma; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D019922:GAP-43 Protein; D006133:Growth Substances; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger