Journal of Neuroscience, Vol 5, 715-729, Copyright © 1985 by Society for Neuroscience
Rapid mobility of motile varicosities and inclusions containing alpha- spectrin, actin, and calmodulin in regenerating axons in vitro
E Koenig, S Kinsman, E Repasky and L Sultz
Time-lapse video recording was used to investigate the bidirectional
movements of motile varicosities and intervening phase-dense (IPD)
inclusions associated with axons of goldfish retinal ganglion cells
regenerating in vitro. In addition, analyses of fine structure and
immunocytochemical distributions of alpha-spectrin (fodrin), actin, and
calmodulin in axonal fields were undertaken. Varicosities and IPD
inclusions undergo saltations in a random manner at mean rates of 0.218 and
3.33 micron/sec, respectively. Experiments involving calcium antagonists or
depletion of internal calcium stores resulted in an arrest of all
intra-axonal movement, indicating that saltations of the two mobile
structures are dependent on intra-axonal calcium. The predominant structure
in varicosities is a large aggregation of an anastomosing, tubular, smooth
endoplasmic reticulum embedded in an amorphous matrix, suggesting a form of
"packaged" cytomembranes undergoing bulk transport. IPD inclusions,
presumably carrying membranes, appear to shuttle between varicosities and
growth cones during axon elongation, and between growth cones and
varicosities during axon retraction. alpha-Spectrin, actin, and calmodulin
were shown by immunocytochemistry to be preferentially distributed to
varicosities and IPD inclusions. The co-transport of spectrin, actin, and
calmodulin with cytomembranes undergoing rapid saltations departs from
reported results of radioactive labeling experiments insofar as spectrin,
actin, and calmodulin are not normally associated with rapidly transported
membrane components in the latter studies. Possible reasons for the
discrepancy are discussed. Our results suggest that spectrin and actin may
play a role in the packaging and axoplasmic transport of cytomembranes
concerned with plasmalemma recycling.