Abstract
During development of the visual system, retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) require cell-cell adhesion molecules and extracellular matrix proteins for axon growth. In this study, we demonstrate that the classical cadherin, E-cadherin, is expressed in RGCs from E6 to E12 and promotes neurite outgrowth from all regions of the chick retina at E6, E8 and E10. E-cadherin is also expressed in the optic tectum. E-cadherin adhesion blocking antibodies specifically inhibit neurite outgrowth on an E-cadherin substrate. The receptor-type protein tyrosine phosphatase, PTPmu, associates with E-cadherin. In this manuscript, we demonstrate that antisense-mediated down-regulation of PTPmu, overexpression of catalytically inactive PTPmu and perturbation of endogenous PTPmu using a specific PTPmu inhibitor peptide results in a substantial reduction in neurite outgrowth on E-cadherin. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that E-cadherin is an important adhesion molecule for chick RGC neurite outgrowth and suggest that PTPmu expression and catalytic activity are required for outgrowth on an E-cadherin substrate.
Publication types
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Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
MeSH terms
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Age Factors
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Animals
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Autoantigens / genetics
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Autoantigens / metabolism*
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Cadherins / pharmacology*
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Cells, Cultured
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Chick Embryo
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Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology
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Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / drug effects*
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Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / physiology
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Growth Cones / drug effects
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Growth Cones / physiology
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Membrane Proteins / genetics
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Membrane Proteins / metabolism*
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Neurites / drug effects*
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Neurites / physiology
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Oligodeoxyribonucleotides, Antisense / pharmacology
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Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases / genetics
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Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases / metabolism*
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Receptor-Like Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases, Class 2
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Receptor-Like Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases, Class 8
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Retina / cytology*
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Retina / embryology
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Retinal Ganglion Cells / cytology*
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Retinal Ganglion Cells / drug effects
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Retinal Ganglion Cells / physiology
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Superior Colliculi / drug effects
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Superior Colliculi / embryology
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Superior Colliculi / enzymology
Substances
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Autoantigens
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Cadherins
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Enzyme Inhibitors
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Membrane Proteins
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Oligodeoxyribonucleotides, Antisense
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Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases
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Receptor-Like Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases, Class 2
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Receptor-Like Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases, Class 8