Guidance of Axons by Local Coupling of Retrograde Flow to Point Contact Adhesions.

ABSTRACT:

Unlabelled

Growth cones interact with the extracellular matrix (ECM) through integrin receptors at adhesion sites termed point contacts. Point contact adhesions link ECM proteins to the actin cytoskeleton through numerous adaptor and signaling proteins. One presumed function of growth cone point contacts is to restrain or "clutch" myosin-II-based filamentous actin (F-actin) retrograde flow (RF) to promote leading edge membrane protrusion. In motile non-neuronal cells, myosin-II binds and exerts force upon actin filaments at the leading edge, where clutching forces occur. However, in growth cones, it is unclear whether similar F-actin-clutching forces affect axon outgrowth and guidance. Here, we show in Xenopus spinal neurons that RF is reduced in rapidly migrating growth cones on l

SUBMITTER: Nichol RH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4756158 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature