Journal of Neuroscience, Vol 2, 1195-1206, Copyright © 1982 by Society for Neuroscience
Binding of developing mouse cerebellar cells to fibronectin: a possible mechanism for the formation of the external granular layer
ME Hatten, MB Furie and DB Rifkin
The role of the matrix glycoprotein fibronectin in the formation of the
external granular layer of the developing mouse cerebellum was investigated
by in vitro studies of the binding of cerebellar cells to a
fibronectin-coated culture substratum and by in vivo immunocytochemical
localization of antiplasma fibronectin antiserum in cerebellar tissue. The
adhesion of cells dissociated from embryonic and early postnatal mouse
cerebellum is developmental stage-specific when the cells are plated on
tissue culture substrata derivatized with human plasma fibronectin. Cells
dissociated from mouse cerebellum at embryonic day 13 form cellular
aggregates on insoluble plasma fibronectin. In contrast, cells dissociated
from embryonic day 16 through postnatal day 7 cerebellum form a monolayer.
Time-lapse video recordings reveal extensive cell movement of late
embryonic and early postnatal cerebellar cells on insoluble plasma
fibronectin. Late embryonic and early postnatal cerebellar cells bind to
fibronectin but do not degrade the fibronectin substratum.
Immunocytochemical studies of the binding of antiplasma fibronectin
antisera to cryostat sections of intact embryonic and early postnatal
cerebellar tissue reveal a brightly stained region of endogenous
fibronectin along the route of granule cell migration from the lateral
caudal part of the neuroepithelium lining the fourth ventricle up onto the
external surface of the cerebellar anlage. When the formation of the
external granular layer is completed, the intense region of fibronectin is
no longer visible.
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