Regular Article
NCAM Is Essential for Axonal Growth and Fasciculation in the Hippocampus

https://doi.org/10.1006/mcne.1996.0588Get rights and content

Abstract

The neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM), probably the best characterized and most abundant cell adhesion molecule on neurons, is thought to be a major regulator of axonal growth and pathfinding. Here we present a detailed analysis of these processes in mice deficient for all NCAM isoforms, generated by gene targeting. The hippocampal mossy fiber tract shows prominent expression of polysialylated NCAM and the generation of new axonal projections throughout life. Focusing on this important intrahippocampal connection, we demonstrate that in the absence of NCAM, fasciculation and pathfinding of these axons are strongly affected. In addition we show alterations in the distribution of mossy fiber terminals. The phenotype is more severe in adult than in young animals, suggesting an essential role for NCAM in the maintenance of plasticity in the mature nervous system.

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      NCAM is highly expressed in the hippocampus of rodents (Luthl et al., 1994). It is essential not only for the regulation and maintenance of the hippocampal structure, such as cell migration, axonal growth, and fasciculation (Cremer et al., 1997; Cremer et al., 2000) but also synaptic plasticity of the hippocampal neurons (Ronn et al., 1995; Stoenica et al., 2006). For example, Shin, M. H., et al. reported that NCAM promotes neural differentiation of hippocampal neural precursor cells to a neuronal lineage, especially to a glutamatergic neural cell type (Shin et al., 2002).

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