Changes in protein kinase C activities are correlated with the metaplastic transformation of Schwann cell precursors of avian embryos into melanocytes.
In previous work, we found that the phorbol ester drug 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol acetate (TPA) reverses the developmental restriction of melanogenesis that occurs early in neural crest development, causing Schwann cell precursors to undergo a metaplastic transformation into melanocytes. In this study, we examine whether these effects of TPA may be mediated by changes in endogenous levels of protein kinase C (PKC) activities. We report that low levels of PKC activity are correlated with this adventitious pigmentation in the crest-derived cells of dorsal root ganglia both during normal development and following TPA treatment in culture. These results suggest that regulation of endogenous levels of PKC plays a role in developmental decisions that neural crest cells make during early embryogenesis.
Hess
L
L
Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland 97201.
Chamberlin
T
T
Ciment
G
G
D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology*; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000378:metabolism*; D011784:Quail; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology*
D011493:Protein Kinase C; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate