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Overlapping functions of the cell adhesion molecules Nr-CAM and L1 in cerebellar granule cell development

The structurally related cell adhesion molecules L1 and Nr-CAM have overlapping expression patterns in cerebellar granule cells. Here we analyzed their involvement in granule cell development using mutant mice. Nr-CAM–deficient cerebellar granule cells failed to extend neurites in vitro on contactin...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Sakurai, Takeshi, Lustig, Marc, Babiarz, Joanne, Furley, Andrew J.W., Tait, Steven, Brophy, Peter J., Brown, Stephen A., Brown, Lucia Y., Mason, Carol A., Grumet, Martin
Formato: Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: The Rockefeller University Press 2001
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2150806/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11564762
http://dx.doi.org/10.1083/jcb.200104122
Descripción
Sumario:The structurally related cell adhesion molecules L1 and Nr-CAM have overlapping expression patterns in cerebellar granule cells. Here we analyzed their involvement in granule cell development using mutant mice. Nr-CAM–deficient cerebellar granule cells failed to extend neurites in vitro on contactin, a known ligand for Nr-CAM expressed in the cerebellum, confirming that these mice are functionally null for Nr-CAM. In vivo, Nr-CAM–null cerebella did not exhibit obvious histological defects, although a mild size reduction of several lobes was observed, most notably lobes IV and V in the vermis. Mice deficient for both L1 and Nr-CAM exhibited severe cerebellar folial defects and a reduction in the thickness of the inner granule cell layer. Additionally, anti-L1 antibodies specifically disrupted survival and maintenance of Nr-CAM–deficient granule cells in cerebellar cultures treated with antibodies. The combined results indicate that Nr-CAM and L1 play a role in cerebellar granule cell development, and suggest that closely related molecules in the L1 family have overlapping functions.