title: Embryonic neurons of the developing optic chiasm express L1 and CD44, cell surface molecules with opposing effects on retinal axon growth.
abstract: The first retinal ganglion cell axons arriving at the embryonic mouse ventral diencephalon encounter an inverted V-shaped neuronal array defining the midline and posterior boundaries of the future optic chiasm. These neurons express L1, an immunoglobulin superfamily molecule known to promote retinal axon outgrowth, and CD44, a cell surface molecule that we find inhibits embryonic retinal axon growth in vitro. Incoming retinal axons do not penetrate this L1/CD44 neuron array, but turn to establish the characteristic X-shaped optic chiasm along the anterior border of this array. These results suggest that L1/CD44 neurons may serve as an anatomical template for retinal axon pathways at the embryonic mouse ventral diencephalon.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of California San Francisco.
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Sretavan
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Puré
authors.forename: L F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Reichardt
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology*; D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology*; D002455:Cell Division; D017931:DNA Primers; D004027:Diencephalon / Q000196:embryology / Q000502:physiology*; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D005865:Gestational Age; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D039841:Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D009897:Optic Chiasm / Q000196:embryology / Q000502:physiology*; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011247:Pregnancy; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology*; D016201:Receptors, Lymphocyte Homing / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology*; D012160:Retina / Q000196:embryology*; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal; D017931:DNA Primers; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D039841:Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D016201:Receptors, Lymphocyte Homing