INCREASED AXONAL GROWTH OF EMBRYONIC CHICK FOREBRAIN NEURONS PLATED ON LAMININ IS MEDIATED IN PART BY B4 INTEGRIN
Student: Ingrid Palma
Mentor: Professor Mark Jareb
Major: Biology
When embryonic chick forebrain neurons are grown in vitro on a laminin substrate, their axons grow faster and longer as compared to axons of neurons grown on a polylysine substrate. These data suggest that a laminin receptor is localized in the axons of chick forebrain neurons mediating the axon-growth promoting properties of laminin. A number of heterodimers from the integrin family of proteins have previously been identified as laminin receptors. We tested the role of ß4 integrin in axonal growth of neurons plated on laminin by using function blocking antibodies. Cultures plated on laminin and treated with ß4 integrin antibodies had significantly shorter axons compared to untreated sister cultures. Consistent with these results, ß4 integrin is localized in axons of chick forebrain neurons as visualized by immunofluorescence. Likewise, when a ß4 integrin-GFP construct is expressed in the neurons, fluorescence from GFP is localized to axons. These data suggest that an integrin receptor containing the ß4 integrin subunit mediates the axon-growth promoting effects of laminin.
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