Survival in vitro of motoneurons identified or purified by novel antibody-based methods is selectively enhanced by muscle-derived factors.
Motoneurons were identified in vitro by a new method using the SC1 monoclonal antibody. They constituted up to 30% of total neurons in cultures of whole spinal cord from 4.5-day chicken embryos, and survived for at least 5 days in the presence of muscle extract, but not in its absence. By contrast, other neurons and floor-plate cells survived without muscle-derived factors. Motoneurons were purified to homogeneity by 'panning' on dishes coated with SC1 antibody; they developed rapidly even in the absence of other spinal cells. Concentrations of muscle extract required for half-maximal motoneuron survival were indistinguishable in pure and mixed cultures, suggesting that muscle-derived factors act directly on motoneurons. Other purified growth factors tested, including ciliary neurotrophic factor, did not have the survival-promoting activity of muscle.
Bloch-Gallego
E
E
UPR 8402 du CNRS-U 249 de l'INSERM, Montpellier, France.
Huchet
M
M
el M'Hamdi
H
H
Xie
F K
FK
Tanaka
H
H
Henderson
C E
CE
D000818:Animals; D002469:Cell Separation; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002642:Chick Embryo; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000502:physiology; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000502:physiology*; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009124:Muscle Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000502:physiology; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology
D006133:Growth Substances; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors