Neuropilin-semaphorin III/D-mediated chemorepulsive signals play a crucial role in peripheral nerve projection in mice.
Neuropilin is a neuronal cell surface protein and has been shown to function as a receptor for a secreted protein, semaphorin III/D, that can induce neuronal growth cone collapse and repulsion of neurites in vitro. The roles of neuropilin in vivo, however, are unknown. Here, we report that neuropilin-deficient mutant mice produced by targeted disruption of the neuropilin gene show severe abnormalities in the trajectory of efferent fibers of the PNS. We also describe that neuropilin-deprived dorsal root ganglion neurons are perfectly protected from growth cone collapse elicited by semaphorin III/D. Our results indicate that neuropilin-semaphorin III/D-mediated chemorepulsive signals play a major role in guidance of PNS efferents.
Kitsukawa
T
T
Division of Biological Science, Nagoya University Graduate School of Science, Japan.
Shimizu
M
M
Sanbo
M
M
Hirata
T
T
Taniguchi
M
M
Bekku
Y
Y
Yagi
T
T
Fujisawa
H
H
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology; D003391:Cranial Nerves / Q000502:physiology; D005121:Extremities / Q000294:innervation; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000502:physiology; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000502:physiology; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D009424:Nervous System Physiological Phenomena; D039942:Neuropilin-1; D009833:Olfactory Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000502:physiology*; D040121:Semaphorin-3A; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000502:physiology; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology*
D006023:Glycoproteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D040121:Semaphorin-3A; D039942:Neuropilin-1