Development, Vol 112, Issue 4 1031-1039, Copyright © 1991 by Company of Biologists

JOURNAL ARTICLES

The expression of tenascin by neural crest cells and glia

RP Tucker and SE McKay
Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Bowman Gray School of Medicine, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC 27103.

The extracellular matrix glycoprotein tenascin is concentrated in both the embryo and adult in regions where cell motility is taking place. For example, during avian neural crest morphogenesis tenascin is concentrated in the rostral half of the sclerotome, precisely where the neural crest cells themselves are found. Previous in vitro studies indicated that somite cells were the source of this tenascin, implying a role for tenascin in directing the ventral migration of neural crest cells and thus the establishment of the periodic arrangement of the PNS. In this study, we have used a cDNA probe to identify the source of tenascin found along the pathways of the neural crest using in situ hybridization. In tissue sections, individual cells found along the neural crest migratory pathways, both before entering the somites and within the somites, are strongly labelled by the tenascin cDNA. In vitro neural crest cells are more strongly labelled with the tenascin probe than somite cells. Finally, western blotting has been used to identify tenascin in culture medium conditioned by neural crest cells. This indicates that neural crest cells themselves are the source of much of the tenascin found lining their migratory pathways, and that interactions with somite cells may not be needed to induce the expression of tenascin. We have also studied the distribution of tenascin mRNA in the developing spinal cord and spinal ganglia. At embryonic days 7 and 10, tenascin cDNA hybridizes within cells that appear to be migrating from the ependymal layer to the white matter, as well as within cells in the dorsal roots.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. Alexander, S. Srinivasan, and H. Alexander Proteomics Opens Doors to the Mechanisms of Developmentally Regulated Secretion Mol. Cell. Proteomics, November 1, 2003; 2(11): 1156 - 1163. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S Testaz, M Delannet, and J Duband Adhesion and migration of avian neural crest cells on fibronectin require the cooperating activities of multiple integrins of the (beta)1 and (beta)3 families J. Cell Sci., January 12, 1999; 112(24): 4715 - 4728. [Abstract] [PDF]

				N Desban and J. Duband Avian neural crest cell migration on laminin: interaction of the alpha1beta1 integrin with distinct laminin-1 domains mediates different adhesive responses J. Cell Sci., January 11, 1997; 110(21): 2729 - 2744. [Abstract] [PDF]

				J Fontaine-Perus, P Halgand, Y Cheraud, T Rouaud, M. Velasco, C Cifuentes Diaz, and F Rieger Mouse-chick chimera: a developmental model of murine neurogenic cells Development, January 8, 1997; 124(16): 3025 - 3036. [Abstract] [PDF]

				R. Tucker, J Spring, S Baumgartner, D Martin, C Hagios, P. Poss, and R Chiquet-Ehrismann Novel tenascin variants with a distinctive pattern of expression in the avian embryo Development, January 3, 1994; 120(3): 637 - 647. [Abstract] [PDF]

				B Wehrle-Haller and M Chiquet Dual function of tenascin: simultaneous promotion of neurite growth and inhibition of glial migration J. Cell Sci., January 10, 1993; 106(2): 597 - 610. [Abstract] [PDF]

				R. Tucker, J. Hammarback, D. Jenrath, E. Mackie, and Y Xu Tenascin expression in the mouse: in situ localization and induction in vitro by bFGF J. Cell Sci., January 1, 1993; 104(1): 69 - 76. [Abstract] [PDF]

				R. Tucker The in situ localization of tenascin splice variants and thrombospondin 2 mRNA in the avian embryo Development, January 1, 1993; 117(1): 347 - 358. [Abstract] [PDF]

				M Umbhauer, J. Riou, J Spring, J. Smith, and J. Boucaut Expression of tenascin mRNA in mesoderm during Xenopus laevis embryogenesis: the potential role of mesoderm patterning in tenascin regionalization Development, January 9, 1992; 116(1): 147 - 157. [Abstract] [PDF]