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The Journal of Neuroscience, September 8, 2004, 24(36):7978-7983; doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1974-04.2004

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BRIEF COMMUNICATION
Extreme Stretch Growth of Integrated Axons

Bryan J. Pfister,¹ Akira Iwata,¹ David F. Meaney,² and Douglas H. Smith¹

Departments of ¹Neurosurgery and ²Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104

Large animals can undergo enormous growth during development, suggesting that axons in nerves and white matter tracts rapidly expand as well. Because integrated axons have no growth cones to extend from, it has been postulated that mechanical forces may stimulate axon elongation matching the growth of the animal. However, this distinct form of rapid and sustained growth of integrated axons has never been demonstrated. Here, we used a microstepper motor system to evaluate the effects of escalating rates of stretch on integrated axon tracts over days to weeks in culture. We found that axon tracts could be stretch grown at rates of 8 mm/d and reach lengths of 10 cm without disconnection. Despite dynamic and long-term elongation, stretched axons increased in caliber by 35%, while the morphology and density of cytoskeletal constituents and organelles were maintained. These data provide the first evidence that mechanical stimuli can induce extreme "stretch growth" of integrated axon tracts, far exceeding any previously observed limits of axon growth.

Key words: axon; growth; development; stretch; elongation; cytoskeleton

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Received May 20, 2004; revised July 20, 2004; accepted July 23, 2004.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				F. K. Roche, B. M. Marsick, and P. C. Letourneau Protein Synthesis in Distal Axons Is Not Required for Growth Cone Responses to Guidance Cues J. Neurosci., January 21, 2009; 29(3): 638 - 652. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F.-Q. Zhou and W. D Snider Intracellular control of developmental and regenerative axon growth Phil Trans R Soc B, September 29, 2006; 361(1473): 1575 - 1592. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. E. Miller and M. P. Sheetz Direct evidence for coherent low velocity axonal transport of mitochondria J. Cell Biol., May 8, 2006; 173(3): 373 - 381. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

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