Adaptation in the chemotactic guidance of nerve growth cones

Pathfinding by growing axons in the developing nervous system may be guided by gradients of extracellular guidance factors. Analogous to the process of chemotaxis in microorganisms, we found that axonal growth cones of cultured Xenopus spinal neurons exhibit adaptation during chemotactic migration,...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nature (London) 2002-05, Vol.417 (6887), p.411-418
Main Authors: Poo, Mu-ming, Ming, Guo-li, Wong, Scott T, Henley, John, Yuan, Xiao-bing, Song, Hong-jun, Spitzer, Nicholas C
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adaptation, Biological - drug effects
Animals
Biological and medical sciences
Brain
Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor - pharmacology
Calcium Signaling - drug effects
Cell Size - drug effects
Chemotaxis - drug effects
Chick Embryo
Development. Senescence. Regeneration. Transplantation
Enzyme Activation - drug effects
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Growth Cones - drug effects
Growth Cones - enzymology
Growth Cones - physiology
Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases - metabolism
Nerve Growth Factors - metabolism
Nerve Growth Factors - pharmacology
Nervous system
Netrin 1
Netrin Receptors
Neurology
Neurons
Protein Synthesis Inhibitors - pharmacology
Receptors, Cell Surface - metabolism
Reptiles & amphibians
Spinal Cord - cytology
Spinal Cord - embryology
Tumor Suppressor Proteins
Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs
Xenopus
Xenopus - embryology
Xenopus - physiology
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Summary:Pathfinding by growing axons in the developing nervous system may be guided by gradients of extracellular guidance factors. Analogous to the process of chemotaxis in microorganisms, we found that axonal growth cones of cultured Xenopus spinal neurons exhibit adaptation during chemotactic migration, undergoing consecutive phases of desensitization and resensitization in the presence of increasing basal concentrations of the guidance factor netrin-1 or brain-derived neurotrophic factor. The desensitization is specific to the guidance factor and is accompanied by a reduction of Ca2+ signalling, whereas resensitization requires activation of mitogen-associated protein kinase and local protein synthesis. Such adaptive behaviour allows the growth cone to re-adjust its sensitivity over a wide range of concentrations of the guidance factor, an essential feature for long-range chemotaxis.
ISSN:0028-0836
1476-4687
DOI:10.1038/nature745