Tenascin-C is required for proliferation of astrocytes in primary culture.
Astrocytes in primary culture can be classified morphologically into two types: fibrous astrocytes and protoplasmic astrocytes. To examine the role of tenascin-C (TN) in an in vitro astrocyte culture, primary cultures of astrocytes prepared from the brains of wild-type and of TN-deficient embryonic mice were analyzed. In primary culture of astrocytes from TN-deficient mice fibrous astrocytes did not appear and astrocytes did not become tile-shaped when they came in contact with each other. The rate of 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine incorporation in a cell proliferation assay was much lower for astrocytes from TN-deficient mice than for astrocytes from wild-type mice. These results suggest that TN is an essential molecule for maintaining the proliferation and proper morphology of astrocytes in primary culture.
Ikeshima-Kataoka
Hiroko
H
Department of Molecular Immunology, Institute of DNA Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. ikeshima@jikei.ac.jp
Saito
Saburo
S
Yuasa
Shigeki
S
D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000502:physiology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology; D048430:Cell Shape / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000166:cytology; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D011247:Pregnancy; D019063:Tenascin / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*
D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D019063:Tenascin