title: De novo acquisition of neuronal polarity in retinoic acid-induced embryonal carcinoma cells.
abstract: The mouse embryonal carcinoma cell line PCC7-Mz1 represents an advantageous model to study acquisition of polarity by neurons. During the first two days after differentiation is induced by the addition of retinoic acid, the neuronal derivatives develop extensions which for at least four more days do not differ from each other in growth characteristics, morphology, and marker expression. Beginning around differentiation day 6 and following the relocation of the nucleus from a central to a polar position in the cell soma, the morphology and marker expression changes dramatically: expression of MAP2 diminishes and eventually disappears in the thinner neurite (future axon), which originates at the nucleated pole, but remains strong in the branched, broad based neurite(s). The opposite changes in expression are observed for synaptophysin, together with a clustering of the vesicle protein in varicosity-like areas. Complete segregation of expression of the two markers is achieved around day 12, shortly followed by dendrite-specific location of MAP2 mRNA and the ability to generate and conduct action potentials. Our studies add several aspects to the process of neuronal polarity acquisition, as it was previously studied in primary cultures of embryonic neurons: (i) we monitored neuronal differentiation from the birth of neurons, rather than from later and less defined maturation stages, (ii) cell nucleus relocation may be associated with the induction of neuronal polarity, and (iii) functional competence of neurons is closely associated with previous acquisition of polarity. Acquisition of polarity by PCC7-Mz1 neuronal derivatives probably refers to de novo acquisition rather than to reestablishment of polarity.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Johannes-Gutenberg University Medical School, Mainz/Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Reinhardt
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rentrop
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bachmann
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Weiser
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Link
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wienrich
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jahn
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maelicke
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D002467:Cell Nucleus; D016764:Cell Polarity / Q000502:physiology*; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D054278:Embryonal Carcinoma Stem Cells; D051379:Mice; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D014212:Tretinoin