title: Cell adhesion molecule L1 affects the rate of differentiation of enteric neurons in the developing gut.
abstract: The enteric nervous system arises predominantly from vagal level neural crest cells that migrate into and along the developing gut. As the neural crest-derived cells migrate within the gut, a subpopulation begins to differentiate into enteric neurons. Here, we show that the differentiation of neural crest-derived cells into enteric neurons is delayed in L1-deficient mice, compared with littermate controls. However, glial cell differentiation is not affected in L1-deficient mice. These mice also show a delay in the differentiation of a neurotransmitter-specific subtype of enteric neuron within the gastrointestinal tract. Together, these results suggest a role for the cell adhesion molecule, L1, in the differentiation of neural crest-derived cells into enteric neurons within the developing enteric nervous system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Kirsty N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.forename: Melitta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schachner
authors.forename: Richard B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Anderson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016923:Cell Death; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D004064:Digestive System / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D017615:Enteric Nervous System / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D051379:Mice; D039842:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule L1 / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D039842:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule L1