title: Alpha-crystallin promotes rat retinal neurite growth on myelin substrates in vitro.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Myelin-associated molecules are major impediments to axon regeneration after optic nerve injury. Intravitreal injection of α-crystallin can protect axons from optic nerve degeneration after crushing in rats.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Our purpose was to investigate whether α-crystallin could counteract the inhibitory effect of myelin and promote neurite growth.
  
  
  METHODS
  Newborn rat retinal neurons were cultured on myelin-coated dishes with DMEM containing α-crystallin (10(-4) g/l) or bovine serum albumin. The density of neurons with neurites and the length of the longest neurite of the cells were analyzed on days 1, 3 and 5.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cultures containing α-crystallin had significantly higher neurite-containing cell densities, and the neurites were significantly longer compared with cultures containing bovine serum albumin. These findings indicated that α-crystallin could counteract the effect of myelin inhibitory factors and stimulate neurite growth.
authors.affiliation: Southwest Hospital, Southwest Eye Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, PR China.
authors.forename: Yan Hua
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Dong Wu
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Nan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zheng Qin
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Yin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002452:Cell Count; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002470:Cell Survival; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D008858:Microscopy, Phase-Contrast; D009185:Myelin Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000502:physiology*; D018992:Myelin-Associated Glycoprotein / Q000378:metabolism; D016501:Neurites / Q000502:physiology*; D055495:Neurogenesis; D000070798:Nogo Proteins; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D055351:Retinal Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D038201:alpha-Crystallins / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D009185:Myelin Proteins; D018992:Myelin-Associated Glycoprotein; D000070798:Nogo Proteins; C000603197:Rtn4 protein, rat; D038201:alpha-Crystallins