PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Alexander Werner
AU  - Michael Willem
AU  - Leonard L. Jones
AU  - Georg W. Kreutzberg
AU  - Ulrike Mayer
AU  - Gennadij Raivich
TI  - Impaired Axonal Regeneration in α7 Integrin-Deficient Mice
AID  - 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.20-05-01822.2000
DP  - 2000 Mar 01
TA  - The Journal of Neuroscience
PG  - 1822--1830
VI  - 20
IP  - 5
4099  - http://www.jneurosci.org/content/20/5/1822.short
4100  - http://www.jneurosci.org/content/20/5/1822.full
SO  - J. Neurosci.2000 Mar 01; 20
AB  - The interplay between growing axons and the extracellular substrate is pivotal for directing axonal outgrowth during development and regeneration. Here we show an important role for the neuronal cell adhesion molecule α7β1 integrin during peripheral nerve regeneration. Axotomy led to a strong increase of this integrin on regenerating motor and sensory neurons, but not on the normally nonregenerating CNS neurons. α7 and β1 subunits were present on the axons and their growth cones in the regenerating facial nerve. Transgenic deletion of the α7 subunit caused a significant reduction of axonal elongation. The associated delay in the reinnervation of the whiskerpad, a peripheral target of the facial motor neurons, points to an important role for this integrin in the successful execution of axonal regeneration.