Chondroitin Sulphate-Mediated Fusion of Brain Neural Folds in Rat Embryos

Previous studies have demonstrated that during neural fold fusion in different species, an apical extracellular material rich in glycoconjugates is involved. However, the composition and the biological role of this material remain undetermined. In this paper, we show that this extracellular matrix i...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inCells, tissues, organs Vol. 189; no. 6; pp. 391 - 402
Main Authors Alonso, M.I., Moro, J.A., Martín, C., de la Mano, A., Carnicero, E., Martínez-Álvarez, C., Navarro, N., Cordero, J., Gato, A.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Basel, Switzerland S. Karger AG 01.01.2009
Subjects
Animals
Brain - metabolism
Cells, Cultured
Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycans - metabolism
Neural Crest - metabolism
Original Paper
Rats
Rats, Wistar
Development
Neural tube closure
Anterior neuropore
Chondroitin sulphate
Rat
Epithelial fusion
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Summary:Previous studies have demonstrated that during neural fold fusion in different species, an apical extracellular material rich in glycoconjugates is involved. However, the composition and the biological role of this material remain undetermined. In this paper, we show that this extracellular matrix in rat increases notably prior to contact between the neural folds, suggesting the dynamic behaviour of the secretory process. Immunostaining has allowed us to demonstrate that this extracellular matrix contains chondroitin sulphate proteoglycan (CSPG), with a spatio-temporal distribution pattern, suggesting a direct relationship with the process of adhesion. The degree of CSPG involvement in cephalic neural fold fusion in rat embryos was determined by treatment with specific glycosidases.In vitro rat embryo culture and microinjection techniques were employed to carry out selective digestion, with chondroitinase AC, of the CSPG on the apical surface of the neural folds; this was done immediately prior to the bonding of the cephalic neural folds. In all the treated embryos, cephalic defects of neural fold fusion could be detected. These results show that CSPG plays an important role in the fusion of the cephalic neural folds in rat embryos, which implies that this proteoglycan could be involved in cellular recognition and adhesion.
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ISSN:1422-6405
1422-6421
DOI:10.1159/000162258