title: Glial growth factor 2 induces proliferation and structural changes in ensheathing cells.
abstract: Ensheathing cells were isolated from neonatal rat olfactory bulbs and cultured in the presence of glial growth factor 2 (GGF2). Proliferation assay showed that at concentrations of up to 60 ng/ml GGF2, ensheathing cells underwent a modest increase in proliferation rate. This stimulation was not maintained at high doses of GGF2 at 100 ng/ml or more. Chemotaxis chambers and scanning electron microscopy were used to determine whether GGF2 was a chemoattractant for ensheathing cells. Although the results showed no chemotactic response to GGF2, ensheathing cells demonstrated structural changes when cultured in the presence of 20 ng/ml GGF2. Ultrastructural observations revealed that GGF2 promoted increased deposition of extracellular matrix on the cell membrane, more cytoskeletal elements in the processes and as a possible consequence, contributed to a more rigid support. Ensheathing cells cultured in the absence of GGF2 often extended thinner and curved processes. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction confirmed the presence of GGF2 transcripts in ensheathing cells, suggesting that ensheathing cells themselves are a source of GGF2.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Physiology, University of Tasmania, Box 252-24, Hobart, Australia. inn.chuah@utas.edu.au
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Chuah
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cossins
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Woodhall
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tennent
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nash
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: West
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002633:Chemotaxis / Q000502:physiology; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D020890:Neuregulin-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009830:Olfactory Bulb / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D020890:Neuregulin-1; C490580:Nrg1 protein, rat; D012333:RNA, Messenger