title: Alpha-actinins, calspectin (brain spectrin or fodrin), and actin participate in adhesion and movement of growth cones.
abstract: We have used biochemical and immunocytochemical techniques to investigate the possible involvement of membrane cytoskeletal elements such as alpha-actinin, calspectin (brain spectrin or fodrin), and actin in growth cone activities. During NGF-induced differentiation of PC12 cells, alpha-actinin increased in association with neurite outgrowth and was predominantly distributed throughout the entire growth cone and the distal portion of neurites. Filopodial movements were sensitive to Ca2+ flux. Two types of alpha-actinin, with Ca2(+)-sensitive and -insensitive actin binding abilities, were identified in the differentiated cells. Ca2(+)-sensitive alpha-actinin and actin filaments were concentrated in filopodia. The Ca2(+)-insensitive protein was distributed from the body of the growth cone to the distal portion of neurites, corresponding to the substratum-adhesive sites. The location of calspectin in growth cones was similar to that of the Ca2(+)-insensitive alpha-actinin. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that Ca2(+)-sensitive alpha-actinin and actin filaments are involved in Ca2(+)-dependent filopodial movement and Ca2(+)-insensitive alpha-actinin and calspectin are associated with adhesion of growth cones.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurochemistry and Neuropharmacology, Osaka University Medical School, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sobue
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kanda
mesh_terms: D000185:Actinin / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology*; D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology*; D002118:Calcium / Q000494:pharmacology; D002148:Calmodulin-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002465:Cell Movement; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000494:pharmacology; D010673:Pheochromocytoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D002148:Calmodulin-Binding Proteins; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D000185:Actinin; D002118:Calcium