QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

HOME  |   SEARCH  |   ARCHIVE  |   SUBSCRIBE  |   CONTACT  |   HELP

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit an eLetter Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (6) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Wang, H. Articles by Laskowski, M. B. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Wang, H. Articles by Laskowski, M. B.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

The Journal of Neuroscience, June 15, 1999, 19(12):4984-4993

Positionally Selective Growth of Embryonic Spinal Cord Neurites on Muscle Membranes

H. Wang¹, S. R. Chadaram¹, A. S. Norton¹, R. Lewis², J. Boyum¹, W. Trumble¹, J. R. Sanes², and M. B. Laskowski¹

¹ WWAMI Medical Program, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho 83844-4207, and ² Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110

Motor neurons from distinct positions along the rostrocaudal axis generally innervate muscles or muscle fibers from corresponding axial levels. These topographic maps of connectivity are partially restored after denervation or transplantation under conditions in which factors of timing and proximity are eliminated. It is therefore likely that motor neurons and some intramuscular structures bear cues that bias synapse formation in favor of positionally matched partners. To localize these cues, we studied outgrowth of neurites from embryonic spinal cord explants on carpets of membranes isolated from perinatal rat muscles. Neurites from rostral (cervical) and caudal (lumbar) spinal cord slices exhibit distinct growth preferences. In many instances, rostrally derived neurites grew selectively on membranes from forelimb muscles or from a single thoracic muscle (the serratus anterior) when given a choice between these membranes and membranes from hindlimb muscles or laminin. Caudally derived neurites almost never exhibited such rostral preferences, but instead preferred membranes from hindlimb muscles or a single hindlimb muscle (the gluteus) to rostral muscles or laminin. Likewise, spinal neurites exhibited distinct position-related preferences for outgrowth on membranes of clonal myogenic cell lines derived from specific rostral and caudal muscles. Taken together these results suggest that the membranes of motor axons and myotubes bear complementary labels that vary with rostrocaudal position and regulate neuromuscular connectivity.

Key words: motor neurons; neurites; laminin; ephrins; Eph kinases; spinal cord; selective growth

---

Copyright © 1999 Society for Neuroscience  0270-6474/99/19124984-10$05.00/0

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. R. Chadaram, M. B. Laskowski, and R. D. Madison Topographic Specificity within Membranes of a Single Muscle Detected In Vitro J. Neurosci., December 19, 2007; 27(51): 13938 - 13948. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Lance-Jones, N. Omelchenko, A. Bailis, S. Lynch, and K. Sharma Hoxd10 induction and regionalization in the developing lumbosacral spinal cord Development, June 15, 2001; 128(12): 2255 - 2268. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home  |   Search  |   Archive  |   Subscribe  |   Contact  |   Help