The expression of B-50/GAP-43 during development of rat spinal neurons in culture is regulated by interneuronal contact.
The neuron-specific phosphoprotein B-50 (GAP-43) is associated with neuritogenesis during development and regeneration. We monitored B-50 in cultured spinal neurons (fetal rat) with an enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assay. B-50 levels increased from 24 to 72 h, then decreased. Other cultures, fixed at 24 h intervals and incubated with anti-B-50 immunoglobulins and fluorescent conjugates, showed that B-50 was present in somata after 24 h, but mainly in neurites after 48 h; after 72-96 h neurons migrated into clusters and B-50 was detected only in free neurites at the perimeter of the culture. We conclude that B-50 expression is down-regulated by neurite-cell or cell-cell contact.
van der Neut
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Research Laboratory of Neurology, University of Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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D000818:Animals; D002450:Cell Communication; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian; D019922:GAP-43 Protein; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*
D019922:GAP-43 Protein; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins