Hyperinnervation of neuromuscular junctions caused by GDNF overexpression in muscle.
Overexpression of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) by muscle greatly increased the number of motor axons innervating neuromuscular junctions in neonatal mice. The extent of hyperinnervation correlated with the amount of GDNF expressed in four transgenic lines. Overexpression of GDNF by glia and overexpression of neurotrophin-3 and neurotrophin-4 in muscle did not cause hyperinnervation. Thus, increased amounts of GDNF in postsynaptic target cells can regulate the number of innervating axons.
Nguyen
Q T
QT
Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
Parsadanian
A S
AS
Snider
W D
WD
Lichtman
J W
JW
D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D018485:Muscle Fibers, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D018008:Myogenin / Q000235:genetics; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000378:metabolism; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity; D020933:Neurotrophin 3; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D013569:Synapses / Q000502:physiology; D019076:Transgenes
C495040:Gdnf protein, mouse; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; C503801:Myog protein, mouse; D018008:Myogenin; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D020933:Neurotrophin 3; C073922:neurotrophin 4