title: Localization of Neurensin1 in cerebellar Purkinje cells of the developing chick and its possible function in dendrite formation.
abstract: Neurensin1 (Nrsn1) gene, highly specific to neurons, has been considered to play a role in neurite growth during neuronal development and regeneration in mice. Intense expression of Nrsn1 was found particularly in projecting neurons like retinal ganglion cells and spinal motor neurons, suggesting that Neurensin1 is needed for active neurite growth. In the present study we cloned chick Nrsn1 gene and produced an antibody against cNrsn1 to examine Nrsn1 localization in the chick brain, since the chick is a suitable animal model for the study of developmental neurobiology. We found that there are neurons intensely stained for Nrsn1 antibody localized in the optic tectum, the cerebellum and the brain stem. These neurons are large in size and considered to be projecting neurons. In the cerebellum, Purkinje cells are the only one type of neurons stained for Nrsn1. During Purkinje cell development the arborized dendrites and axons become intensely stained at stages E17-18. A siRNA gene knock down was applied to the cultured embryonic cerebellar tissues and the result showed that Nrsn1 has an important role in dendrite formation of Purkinje cells. These findings suggest that Neurensin1 is also involved in neural development in the chick brain and that the embryonic chick brain is a good model to disclose the molecular and physiological functions of Nrsn1.
authors.affiliation: Developmental Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, Nara Women's University, Nara 630-8506, Japan.
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kiyonaga-Endou
authors.affiliation: Developmental Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, Nara Women's University, Nara 630-8506, Japan.
authors.forename: Manabu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oshima
authors.affiliation: Developmental Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, Nara Women's University, Nara 630-8506, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sugimoto
authors.affiliation: Ulverscroft Eye Unit, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK.
authors.forename: Mervyn
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Kyoto 606-8585, Japan.
authors.forename: Shigeru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Taketani
authors.affiliation: Developmental Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, Nara Women's University, Nara 630-8506, Japan. Electronic address: araki_masa@naramed-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Masasuke
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Araki
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030161:Avian Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D002642:Chick Embryo; D003712:Dendrites / Q000378:metabolism*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D011689:Purkinje Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013477:Superior Colliculi / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D030161:Avian Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins
keywords: Chick embryo; Dendrite; Development; Neurensin; Purkinje cell