title: Calcium signals and FGF-2 induced neurite growth in cultured parasympathetic neurons: spatial localization and mechanisms of activation.
abstract: The growth of neuritic processes in developing neurons is tightly controlled by a wide set of extracellular cues that act by initiating downstream signaling cascades, where calcium signals play a major role. Here we analyze the calcium dependence of the neurite growth promoted by basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF or FGF-2) in chick embryonic ciliary ganglion neurons, taking advantage of dissociated, organotypic, and compartmentalized cultures. We report that signals at both the growth cone and the soma are involved in the promotion of neurite growth by the factor. Blocking calcium influx through L- and N-type voltage-dependent calcium channels and transient receptor potential canonical (TRPC) channels reduces, while release from intracellular stores does not significantly affect, the growth of neuritic processes. Simultaneous recordings of calcium signals elicited by FGF-2 at the soma and at the growth cone show that the factor activates different patterns of responses in the two compartments: steady and sustained responses at the former, oscillations at the latter. At the soma, both voltage-dependent channel and TRPC blockers strongly affect steady-state levels. At the growth cone, the changes in the oscillatory pattern are more complex; therefore, we used a tool based on wavelet analysis to obtain a quantitative evaluation of the effects of the two classes of blockers. We report that the oscillatory behavior at the growth cone is dramatically affected by all the blockers, pointing to a role for calcium influx through the two classes of channels in the generation of signals at the leading edge of the elongating neurites.
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123 Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zamburlin
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Ruffinatti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gilardino
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Farcito
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Parrini
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lovisolo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000378:metabolism; D020013:Calcium Signaling; D048708:Cell Growth Processes; D002642:Chick Embryo; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005726:Ganglia, Parasympathetic / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D020439:Growth Cones / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D016501:Neurites / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D050052:TRPC Cation Channels / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015220:Calcium Channels; D050052:TRPC Cation Channels; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2