Steun ons werk
Decorative header background

Semaphorin 3A displays a punctate distribution on the surface of neuronal cells and interacts with proteoglycans in the extracellular matrix

Onderzoeksgroep Verhaagen
Publicatiejaar 2005
Gepubliceerd in Molecular and Cellular Neurosciences
Auteur(s) Joris de Wit, Fred De Winter, Jan Klooster, J. Verhaagen

Secreted semaphorins are essential for neural development and continue to be expressed in subpopulations of adult neurons, where they subserve as yet unknown functions. We employed functional myc- and GFP-tagged Sema3A proteins to obtain insight in the localization of Sema3A in neuronal cells. Sema3A localized to both axons and dendrites of cortical neurons. GFP-Sema3A exhibited a characteristic punctate distribution on the surface of Neuro-2a cells, localized to migratory pathways of cultured cells, and co-localized with and induced clustering of its receptor component neuropilin-1. Treatment with excess glycosaminoglycans and chondroitinase ABC resulted in the removal of cell surface Sema3A. Heparin enhanced Sema3A’s binding to neuropilin-1-expressing cells and potentiated its growth cone collapsing activity. Together, these results indicate that association with proteoglycans in the extracellular matrix of neuronal cells plays an important role in the localization of the chemorepulsive guidance cue Sema3A, and that this interaction may enhance its biological activity.

Steun ons werk

De Stichting Vrienden van het Herseninstituut ondersteunt baanbrekend hersenonderzoek. U kunt ons daarbij helpen.

Steun ons werk