title: In vitro differentiation of quail neural crest cells into sensory-like neuroblasts.
abstract: This study shows that quail neural crest cells can differentiate in vitro into sensory-like neuroblasts. The putative sensory neuroblasts were large and spherical, possessing large diameter, bipolar or pseudo-unipolar, long processes that lacked multiple varicosities characteristic of autonomic neurons. They bound HNK-1, a monoclonal antibody against a cell surface epitope expressed by early neural crest cells but not by young neural tube-derived cells. Many of the sensory-like neuroblasts had substance P (SP)-like immunoreactivity. Some exhibited histochemical carbonic anhydrase activity; carbonic anhydrase is shown in this study to stain a subpopulation of spinal sensory neurons in adult quail and embryos 9 days and older, whereas ventral root axons and neurons in sympathetic ganglia are non-reactive at all ages. Double staining indicated that unlike the multipolar neuroblasts developing in the same cultures, SP-like immunoreactive neuroblasts do not contain detectable levels of tyrosine hydroxylase or dopamine-beta-hydroxylase. Finally, the neuronal nature of the cultured sensory-like neuroblasts was further documented by double labeling for antibodies against the 68 kDa neurofilament polypeptide and substance P.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D002256:Carbonic Anhydrases / Q000032:analysis; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002642:Chick Embryo; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000494:pharmacology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000494:pharmacology; D009432:Neural Crest / Q000032:analysis / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000032:analysis / Q000166:cytology*; D011784:Quail / Q000196:embryology*; D013373:Substance P / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D005353:Fibronectins; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins; D013373:Substance P; D002256:Carbonic Anhydrases