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Elul T, Lew V, Khetani S (Touro University California, Vallejo CA)
We previously showed that a -catenin mutant that disrupts its binding to -catenin in the Cadherin adhesion complex (-catNTERM), and a pharmacological inhibitor for an actin regulator, non-muscle Myosin II (Blebbistatin), resulted in growth cones with significantly fewer and more filopodial protrusions than growth cones of control axons in the optic tract of whole brains of Xenopus laevis tadpoles. Our results here demonstrate that -catenin mutant expressing growth cones are also smaller in area, more round, and have less complex contours, whereas Blebbistatin exposed growth cones are more elongated with contours of greater fractional concavity, than growth cones of control RGC axons in situ. Axonal undulation was also significantly increased by -cateninNTER, whereas branching of RGC axons in the optic tract was oppositely modulated by the -cat mutant and Blebbistatin. In addition, expression of an -catenin mutant that disrupts its interaction with -catenin, and application of a pharmacological inhibitor for ROCK, phenocopied -catNTER and Blebbistatin effects on growth cone morphology. These results suggest that Cadherin-catenin adhesive signaling and acto-myosin intera