NeuroprotocolsPub Date : 1994-04-01DOI: 10.1006/NCMN.1994.1014
S. Guthrie, A. Lumsden
{"title":"Collagen Gel Coculture of Neural Tissue","authors":"S. Guthrie, A. Lumsden","doi":"10.1006/NCMN.1994.1014","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1006/NCMN.1994.1014","url":null,"abstract":"During the development of the nervous system, axons grow over considerable distances to reach their appropriate targets. Information derived from a range of experimental systems suggests that a multiplicity of guidance cues govern growth cone navigation. Among these may be physical features of the environment, pathways of extracellular matrix molecules such as laminin, and distributed positional information cues on the surfaces of neuroepithelial cells. Yet some of these guidance mechanisms may act only over a short range, and it is uncertain whether any of them can specify direction. A possibility that is theoretically attractive is that axons might be directed by diffusible signals emanating from their targets. Although this idea was first proposed by Ramon y Cajal at the beginning of the century, accumulating evidence that chemotropism plays a role in neural development has only recently become compelling. Some in vivo experiments have hinted strongly at chemotropism, as when axons navigate to their target along ectopic routes. But there is only one way of unequivocally demonstrating a chemotropic response of growing neurites. This involves placing an explant containing the neurons of interest at some distance from their target tissue In a three-dimensional collagen matrix devoid of other landmarks. Within such gels it has been demonstrated that gradients of diffusible molecules can be established [T. Ebendal (1977) Cell Tissue Res.175, 439-458]. During the culture period, axons may then display direct or arcuate trajectories toward the target across the neutral matrix. If this phenomenon is observed in the presence of the target but not in the presence of control tissues, this suggests that chemotropism participates in axonal pathfinding during normal development.","PeriodicalId":100951,"journal":{"name":"Neuroprotocols","volume":"4 1","pages":"116-120"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1994-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"82442370","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
NeuroprotocolsPub Date : 1994-04-01DOI: 10.1006/NCMN.1994.1017
C. McCaig, D. Allan, L. Erskine, A. Rajnicek, R. Stewart
{"title":"Growing Nerves in an Electric Field","authors":"C. McCaig, D. Allan, L. Erskine, A. Rajnicek, R. Stewart","doi":"10.1006/NCMN.1994.1017","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1006/NCMN.1994.1017","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Small dc electric fields profoundly influence many aspects of growth cone advance. Endogenous fields exist in developing and regenerating systems at times, places, and strengths sufficient to implicate them as players in shaping neuroarchitecture. The techniques used to study the responses of nerves growing in a small applied electric field and the information that these have yielded are reviewed.","PeriodicalId":100951,"journal":{"name":"Neuroprotocols","volume":"36 1","pages":"134-141"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1994-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"86813246","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
NeuroprotocolsPub Date : 1994-04-01DOI: 10.1006/ncmn.1994.1013
Baird Douglas H., Hatten Mary E., Heintz Nathaniel, Mason Carol A.
{"title":"Micromethods for Analyzing Axon-Target Interactions in Vitro","authors":"Baird Douglas H., Hatten Mary E., Heintz Nathaniel, Mason Carol A.","doi":"10.1006/ncmn.1994.1013","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1006/ncmn.1994.1013","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p><em>In vitro</em> methods for studying interactions between axons and their target cells are presented. The methods maximize the number of cultures that can be produced by limiting the volume and area of the cultures. Small cultures promote cell-cell Interactions and permit rapid conditioning of medium. In addition, valuable reagents added to these microcultures are conserved. The methods include: (a) the manufacture of 40-μl well-volume, coverslip-bottomed culture dishes with plating area of less than 24 mm<sup>2</sup> the dishes allow the small working distances of high-resolution light microscopy; (b) a micromethod to test for the Involvement of secreted factors in cell-cell interactions; cells on different surfaces are cocultured in shared medium; (c) a method to plate explant sources of neurites at a controlled distance from target cells to facilitate neurite identification and to control the timing of growth cone-target cell contacts; and (d) nonisotopic <em>in situ</em> hybridization for chamber-slide cultures combined with immunolabeling of cells in the hybridized culture. These methods can be used in culture assays to identify cell types or molecules involved in a variety of neuronal or, more generally, cell-cell interactions.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":100951,"journal":{"name":"Neuroprotocols","volume":"4 2","pages":"Pages 106-115"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1994-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1006/ncmn.1994.1013","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"72113211","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
NeuroprotocolsPub Date : 1994-04-01DOI: 10.1006/ncmn.1994.1019
Snow Diane M.
{"title":"Neurite Outgrowth in Response to Patterns of Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycan: Inhibition and Adaptation","authors":"Snow Diane M.","doi":"10.1006/ncmn.1994.1019","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1006/ncmn.1994.1019","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Proteoglycans are a structurally diverse class of molecules that interact with many ECM and cell surface components, thereby contributing significantly to a multitude of processes. One function for these macromolecules is the regulation of neurite outgrowth. Proteoglycans are present in axon-free regions of the developing nervous system, where the temporal pattern of their expression suggests a possible role as barrier molecules. In other regions, they are expressed where axons grow and may exist at these sites in combination with growth-promoting molecules, such that their influence is not inhibitory, but rather modulatory. <em>In vitro</em>, when presented in high concentrations in combination with laminin, chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan (CSPG) is inhibitory to growth cone advance for each of three neuronal types tested. Enzymatic degradation of the carbohydrate portion of this molecule (glycosaminoglycan) indicates that it is responsible for the inhibition. However, growth cones <em>can</em> grow on CSPG (bound to laminin) when presented in a stepwise, graded distribution, with the response to the CSPG step gradient being different for each of three neuronal populations. Although the behavior of each cell type is unique, a common behavior of each cell type on the CSPG step gradient is a decrease in the rate of neurite outgrowth with increasing CSPG concentration. These data suggest that different patterns of neurite outgrowth may result from the regulation of the ratio of growth-promoting to growth-inhibiting molecules in the growth cones immediate environment.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":100951,"journal":{"name":"Neuroprotocols","volume":"4 2","pages":"Pages 146-157"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1994-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1006/ncmn.1994.1019","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"72113433","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
NeuroprotocolsPub Date : 1994-04-01DOI: 10.1006/NCMN.1994.1019
D. Snow
{"title":"Neurite Outgrowth in Response to Patterns of Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycan: Inhibition and Adaptation","authors":"D. Snow","doi":"10.1006/NCMN.1994.1019","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1006/NCMN.1994.1019","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Proteoglycans are a structurally diverse class of molecules that interact with many ECM and cell surface components, thereby contributing significantly to a multitude of processes. One function for these macromolecules is the regulation of neurite outgrowth. Proteoglycans are present in axon-free regions of the developing nervous system, where the temporal pattern of their expression suggests a possible role as barrier molecules. In other regions, they are expressed where axons grow and may exist at these sites in combination with growth-promoting molecules, such that their influence is not inhibitory, but rather modulatory. In vitro, when presented in high concentrations in combination with laminin, chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan (CSPG) is inhibitory to growth cone advance for each of three neuronal types tested. Enzymatic degradation of the carbohydrate portion of this molecule (glycosaminoglycan) indicates that it is responsible for the inhibition. However, growth cones can grow on CSPG (bound to laminin) when presented in a stepwise, graded distribution, with the response to the CSPG step gradient being different for each of three neuronal populations. Although the behavior of each cell type is unique, a common behavior of each cell type on the CSPG step gradient is a decrease in the rate of neurite outgrowth with increasing CSPG concentration. These data suggest that different patterns of neurite outgrowth may result from the regulation of the ratio of growth-promoting to growth-inhibiting molecules in the growth cones immediate environment.","PeriodicalId":100951,"journal":{"name":"Neuroprotocols","volume":"13 1","pages":"146-157"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1994-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"75044747","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
NeuroprotocolsPub Date : 1994-04-01DOI: 10.1006/NCMN.1994.1018
D. Shewan, K. Bedi, M. Berry, J. Winter, James Cohen
{"title":"Axon Regeneration in Vitro on Physiologically Relevant Substrata","authors":"D. Shewan, K. Bedi, M. Berry, J. Winter, James Cohen","doi":"10.1006/NCMN.1994.1018","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1006/NCMN.1994.1018","url":null,"abstract":"The study of axon growth in culture is limited by a poor understanding of the relative contribution of each of a complex array of factors, which include diffusible, axon growth-modulating molecules and substrate-bound guidance cues available to developing and regenerating neurons in vivo. With the objective of more closely mimicking in vivo conditions, one approach we have exploited employs thin cryosections of appropriate regions of unfixed nervous tissue as culture substrata for the growth of regenerating neurons. By using this technique it is possible to culture different populations of neurons on substrata in which environmental growth-modulating factors are preserved. This form of bioassay has facilitated the study of the different neurite outgrowth responses of neurons both from different sources and at different developmental ages on varying native substrata. Using this method we have demonstrated that mature dorsal root ganglion neurons (DRG) will regrow axons only on predegenerated sciatic nerve in vitro, while immature DRG extend neurites on both intact and degenerated sciatic nerve. In contrast, both mature and neonatal DRG fail to regenerate on either fully myelinated mature optic nerve or unmyelinated embryonic optic nerve. Moreover, neonatal retinal ganglion cells do not regenerate on any of these substrata.","PeriodicalId":100951,"journal":{"name":"Neuroprotocols","volume":"29 1","pages":"142-145"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1994-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"90422198","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
NeuroprotocolsPub Date : 1994-04-01DOI: 10.1006/ncmn.1994.1012
Baier Herwig, Klostermann Stefan
{"title":"Axon Guidance and Growth Cone Collapse in Vitro","authors":"Baier Herwig, Klostermann Stefan","doi":"10.1006/ncmn.1994.1012","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1006/ncmn.1994.1012","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Important information about the mechanisms of axon guidance in the developing and regenerating brain has been obtained from <em>in vitro</em> experiments. One particular system, the retinotectal projection of vertebrates, has been analyzed by several <em>in vitro</em> assays, three of which are described here in detail: (i) the stripe choice assay, (ii) the collapse assay, and (iii) the gradient assay. Each of these has revealed position-specific behavior of retinal axons in response to cell membranes derived from different regions of the optic tectum. The stripe choice assay tests the ability of growing axons to discriminate between two membrane substrates offered as alternating stripes. The gradient assay assesses whether growth cones can detect (and be guided by) smooth transitions from one substrate type to another. The collapse assay reveals instantaneous reactions of growth cones to inhibitory or repellent factors present in their environment. The protocols describe the preparation of retinal explants and tectal membranes, as well as the assays proper. Particular emphasis is placed on the gradient assay, which has not yet been described in detail. All of the approaches discussed here have in common that they are applicable to axon guiding components bound to cell membranes. By a few modifications, however, it should be possible to extend this type of investigation to a wider range of related questions, including cell migration and guidance. We do not consider the important aspect of chemotropic guidance of axons in response to diffusible factors.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":100951,"journal":{"name":"Neuroprotocols","volume":"4 2","pages":"Pages 96-105"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1994-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1006/ncmn.1994.1012","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"72113210","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
NeuroprotocolsPub Date : 1994-04-01DOI: 10.1006/NCMN.1994.1012
H. Baier, S. Klostermann
{"title":"Axon Guidance and Growth Cone Collapse in Vitro","authors":"H. Baier, S. Klostermann","doi":"10.1006/NCMN.1994.1012","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1006/NCMN.1994.1012","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Important information about the mechanisms of axon guidance in the developing and regenerating brain has been obtained from in vitro experiments. One particular system, the retinotectal projection of vertebrates, has been analyzed by several in vitro assays, three of which are described here in detail: (i) the stripe choice assay, (ii) the collapse assay, and (iii) the gradient assay. Each of these has revealed position-specific behavior of retinal axons in response to cell membranes derived from different regions of the optic tectum. The stripe choice assay tests the ability of growing axons to discriminate between two membrane substrates offered as alternating stripes. The gradient assay assesses whether growth cones can detect (and be guided by) smooth transitions from one substrate type to another. The collapse assay reveals instantaneous reactions of growth cones to inhibitory or repellent factors present in their environment. The protocols describe the preparation of retinal explants and tectal membranes, as well as the assays proper. Particular emphasis is placed on the gradient assay, which has not yet been described in detail. All of the approaches discussed here have in common that they are applicable to axon guiding components bound to cell membranes. By a few modifications, however, it should be possible to extend this type of investigation to a wider range of related questions, including cell migration and guidance. We do not consider the important aspect of chemotropic guidance of axons in response to diffusible factors.","PeriodicalId":100951,"journal":{"name":"Neuroprotocols","volume":"173 1","pages":"96-105"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1994-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"77611726","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
NeuroprotocolsPub Date : 1994-04-01DOI: 10.1006/ncmn.1994.1018
Shewan Derryck A., Bedi Kuldip S., Berry Martin, Winter Janet, Cohen James
{"title":"Axon Regeneration in Vitro on Physiologically Relevant Substrata","authors":"Shewan Derryck A., Bedi Kuldip S., Berry Martin, Winter Janet, Cohen James","doi":"10.1006/ncmn.1994.1018","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1006/ncmn.1994.1018","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The study of axon growth in culture is limited by a poor understanding of the relative contribution of each of a complex array of factors, which include diffusible, axon growth-modulating molecules and substrate-bound guidance cues available to developing and regenerating neurons <em>in vivo</em>. With the objective of more closely mimicking <em>in vivo</em> conditions, one approach we have exploited employs thin cryosections of appropriate regions of unfixed nervous tissue as culture substrata for the growth of regenerating neurons. By using this technique it is possible to culture different populations of neurons on substrata in which environmental growth-modulating factors are preserved. This form of bioassay has facilitated the study of the different neurite outgrowth responses of neurons both from different sources and at different developmental ages on varying native substrata. Using this method we have demonstrated that mature dorsal root ganglion neurons (DRG) will regrow axons only on predegenerated sciatic nerve <em>in vitro</em>, while immature DRG extend neurites on both intact and degenerated sciatic nerve. In contrast, both mature and neonatal DRG fail to regenerate on either fully myelinated mature optic nerve or unmyelinated embryonic optic nerve. Moreover, neonatal retinal ganglion cells do not regenerate on any of these substrata.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":100951,"journal":{"name":"Neuroprotocols","volume":"4 2","pages":"Pages 142-145"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1994-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1006/ncmn.1994.1018","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"72113434","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
NeuroprotocolsPub Date : 1994-04-01DOI: 10.1006/NCMN.1994.1020
Joanne Taylor
{"title":"Growth Cone Behavior at Borders between Different Extracellular Matrix Molecules","authors":"Joanne Taylor","doi":"10.1006/NCMN.1994.1020","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1006/NCMN.1994.1020","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The reaction of growth cones in in vitro assays to substrate-bound molecules might yield important clues to the roles that these molecules play in growth cone guidance in vivo. Janusin and tenascin are glia-derived, extracellular matrix molecules that are expressed in the nervous system at times and in locations that suggest that they might act as barriers to neurite outgrowth. To test this hypothesis we have used video time-lapse microscopy to observe the behavior of growth cones, growing on a substrate permissive for neurite outgrowth, when they are confronted with janusin or tenascin as sharp, substrate boundaries. Here we describe the method for offering growth cones a choice between two substrates, in which the border between the two molecules can be clearly visualized in the phase-contrast microscope during the period of observation. We have learned from these observations that growth cones avoid advancing onto janusin or tenascin substrates, but do not undergo gross morphological changes, such as complete collapse, when they contact these molecules.","PeriodicalId":100951,"journal":{"name":"Neuroprotocols","volume":"38 1","pages":"158-166"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1994-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"81405073","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}