title: Macrophage-stimulating protein is a neurotrophic factor for embryonic chicken hypoglossal motoneurons.
abstract: Macrophage-stimulating protein (MSP) exerts a variety of biological actions on many cell types, but has no known functions in the brain. MSP is structurally related to hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), another pleiotropic factor whose many functions include promoting neuronal survival and growth. To investigate whether MSP is also capable of acting as a neurotrophic factor, we purified hypoglossal motoneurons from the embryonic chicken hindbrain because these neurons are known to express the MSP receptor tyrosine kinase RON. MSP promoted the in vitro survival of these neurons during the period of naturally occurring neuronal death and enhanced the growth of neurites from these neurons. MSP mRNA was detected in the developing tongue whose musculature is innervated by hypoglossal neurons. Our study demonstrates that MSP is a neurotrophic factor for a population of developing motoneurons.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preclinical Veterinary Sciences, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Summerhall Square, Edinburgh EH9 1QH, Scotland, UK.
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Epaminondas
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Doxakis
authors.forename: Alun M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Davies
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002642:Chick Embryo; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor; D007002:Hypoglossal Nerve / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000196:embryology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D018189:Immunomagnetic Separation; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016501:Neurites / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D006133:Growth Substances; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C082332:macrophage stimulating protein; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor