Promyelinating Schwann cells express Tst-1/SCIP/Oct-6.
Tst-1/SCIP/Oct-6, a POU domain transcription factor, is transiently expressed by developing Schwann cells and is required for their normal development into a myelinating phenotype. In tst-1/scip/oct-6-null sciatic nerves, Schwann cells are transiently arrested at the "promyelinating" stage, when they have a one-to-one relationship with an axon but before they have elaborated a myelin sheath. To determine when Schwann cells express Tst-1/SCIP/Oct-6, we examined beta-galactosidase (beta-gal) expression in heterozygous tst-1/scip/oct-6 mice, in which one copy of the tst-1/scip/oct-6 gene has been replaced with the LacZ gene. beta-Gal expression from the LacZ gene seems to parallel Tst-1/SCIP/Oct-6 expression from the endogenous tst-1/scip/oct-6 gene in developing and regenerating sciatic nerves. Furthermore, electron microscopic examination of 5bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside- (X-gal) and halogenated indolyl-beta-D-galactoside- (Bluo-gal) stained nerves showed that promyelinating Schwann cells express the highest levels of beta-gal, both in developing and in regenerating nerves. Thus, the expression of beta-gal, a surrogate marker of Tst-1/SCIP/Oct-6, peaks at the same stage of Schwann cell development at which development is arrested in tst-1/scip/oct-6-null mice, indicating that Tst-1/SCIP/Oct-6 has a critical role in promyelinating Schwann cells.
Arroyo
E J
EJ
Department of Neuroscience, The University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6077, USA.
Bermingham
J R
JR
Rosenfeld
M G
MG
Scherer
S S
SS
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D019771:Axotomy; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D007763:Lac Operon; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D050816:Octamer Transcription Factor-6; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000166:cytology / Q000601:surgery; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000235:genetics
D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C494180:Pou3f1 protein, mouse; D014157:Transcription Factors; D050816:Octamer Transcription Factor-6; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D001616:beta-Galactosidase