title: Modulation of synapsin I gene expression in rat cortical neurons by extracellular matrix.
abstract: 1. Neuronal differentiation depends on crosstalk between genetic program and environmental cues. In this study we tried to dissect this complex interplay by culturing neurons from fetal rat brain cortices in a chemically defined, neuron-specific, medium and on different substrata, either artificial (poly-D-lysine) or natural. 2. Among the extracellular matrix compounds used in this study, two (collagen I and fibronectin) allowed only a weak attachment of cortical neurons to the substratum, while the others (collagen IV, laminin, and basal lamina from Engelbreth-Holm-Swarm sarcoma) allowed both firm attachment and moderate to extensive neurite outgrowth from neuronal cell bodies. 3. By using synapsin I gene expression as a parameter of neuronal differentiation, we found that neurite outgrowth and neuronal differentiation are not linearly linked. Synapsin I gene expression, in fact, was maximal in neurons cultured on laminin, while the fastest neuritic outgrowth was recorded in cultures on poly-D-lysine. 4. The data presented in this paper are consistent with the hypothesis that the extracellular matrix plays an active role in modulating the differentiative program of neurons.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Neurologiche, Università Federico II, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Savettieri
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Mazzola
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Rodriguez Sanchez
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Caruso
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Di Liegro
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cestelli
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D003094:Collagen / Q000494:pharmacology; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000502:physiology*; D005333:Fetus; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000494:pharmacology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D007797:Laminin / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D016501:Neurites / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D011107:Polylysine / Q000494:pharmacology; D011509:Proteoglycans; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012513:Sarcoma, Experimental; D016704:Synapsins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D005353:Fibronectins; D007797:Laminin; D011509:Proteoglycans; D016704:Synapsins; C059485:matrigel; D011107:Polylysine; D003094:Collagen