title: Activin facilitates neuronal development in the rat amygdala.
abstract: The amygdala is one of the richest sources for activin receptor in the central nervous system (CNS) but the function of activin in the amygdala is unknown. An in vitro culture system was developed to study the effect of recombinant human activin-A on neuronal growth. Activin-A (1000 pM) was added continuously from day 1 in vitro and the medium changed every 2 days. Continuous visual assessment revealed that control neurones started to atrophy within 2 days of incubation in serum free N2-MEM. After 6 days in culture, cells were fixed and stained for growth-associated protein (GAP-43), a membrane-bound phosphoprotein involved in axonal elongation and synaptogenesis. Activin-A reduced the number of atrophying neurones and stimulated neuritic growth. The results presented here indicate a possible neurotrophic role for activin-A in the neonatal CNS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of Aberdeen, UK. v.trudeau@abdn.ac.uk
authors.forename: V L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Trudeau
authors.forename: D T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Theodosis
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Poulain
mesh_terms: D028341:Activins; D000679:Amygdala / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001284:Atrophy; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D019922:GAP-43 Protein / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007265:Inhibins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D016501:Neurites / Q000187:drug effects; D009474:Neurons / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D019922:GAP-43 Protein; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D028341:Activins; D007265:Inhibins