title: Differential regulation of thalamic and cortical axonal growth by hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor.
abstract: The initial axonal projections between the cerebral cortex and thalamus are established during embryogenesis. Chemoattractants and repellents are thought to provide specific guidance cues for directional growth of these pathways. Hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF) serves as an attractant for developing motor neurons, and its distribution in embryonic pallidum, pallium and thalamus suggests a similar role in forebrain development. We examined the effectiveness of HGF/SF in regulating thalamic and cortical neuronal growth using in vitro assays. HGF/SF increased neurite outgrowth of thalamic, but not cortical neurons, grown in dissociated cultures or as explants. HGF/SF also exhibited a chemoattractant property for thalamic axons, promoting the extension of neurites towards an HGF/SF source. These experiments demonstrate HGF/SF has the capacity to selectively direct thalamocortical projections into an intermediate target, the pallidum, and eventually to their final cortical destination.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. epowell@pitt.edu
authors.forename: Elizabeth M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Powell
authors.forename: Sven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mühlfriedel
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bolz
authors.forename: Pat
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Levitt
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology; D005260:Female; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D051379:Mice; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology*; D016501:Neurites / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D013788:Thalamus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology; D014162:Transfection; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met