The role of Arp2/3 in growth cone actin dynamics and guidance is substrate dependent.
During development extrinsic guidance cues modulate the peripheral actin network in growth cones to direct axons to their targets. We wanted to understand the role of the actin nucleator Arp2/3 in growth cone actin dynamics and guidance. Since growth cones migrate in association with diverse adhesive substrates during development, we probed the hypothesis that the functional significance of Arp2/3 is substrate dependent. We report that Arp2/3 inhibition led to a reduction in the number of filopodia and growth cone F-actin content on laminin and L1. However, we found substrate-dependent differences in growth cone motility, actin retrograde flow, and guidance after Arp2/3 inhibition, suggesting that its role, and perhaps that of other actin binding proteins, in growth cone motility is substrate dependent.
Departments of Neuroscience and Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455.
José E
JE
San Miguel-Ruiz
Paul C
PC
Letourneau
D008841:Actin Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism*; D051376:Actin-Related Protein 2-3 Complex / Q000378:metabolism*; D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000378:metabolism; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002642:Chick Embryo; D020439:Growth Cones / Q000378:metabolism*; D007797:Laminin / Q000378:metabolism; D039842:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule L1 / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D011554:Pseudopodia / Q000378:metabolism
D051376:Actin-Related Protein 2-3 Complex; D000199:Actins; D007797:Laminin; D039842:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule L1
Arp2/3; L1 CAM; actin; growth cone; guidance; laminin