Hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor is a neurotrophic survival factor for lumbar but not for other somatic motoneurons in the chick embryo.
Hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF) is expressed in the developing limb muscles of the chick embryo during the period of spinal motoneuron (MN) programmed cell death, and its receptor c-met is expressed in lumbar MNs during this same period. Although cultured motoneurons from brachial, thoracic, and lumbar segments are all rescued from cell death by chick embryo muscle extract (CMX) as well as by other specific trophic agents, HGF/SF only promotes the survival of lumbar MNs. Similarly, treatment of embryos in ovo with exogenous HGF/SF rescues lumbar but not other somatic MNs from cell death. Blocking antibodies to HGF/SF (anti-HGF) reduce the effects of CMX on MN survival in vitro and decrease the number of lumbar MNs in vivo. The expression of c-met on MNs in vivo is regulated by a limb-derived trophic signal distinct from HGF/SF. HGF/SF is a potent, select, and physiologically relevant survival factor for a subpopulation of developing spinal MNs in the lumbar segments of the chick embryo.
Novak
K D
KD
Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy and the Neuroscience Program, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27157, USA.
Prevette
D
D
Wang
S
S
Gould
T W
TW
Oppenheim
R W
RW
D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000494:pharmacology; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002642:Chick Embryo; D003391:Cranial Nerves / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D018878:Limb Buds / Q000196:embryology / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology* / Q000196:embryology
D000906:Antibodies; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met