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L F Reichardt

Publications and source records attributed to L F Reichardt.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources
PubMed1984

Expression of the beta-nerve growth factor gene correlates with the density of sympathetic innervation in effector organs.

Although beta-nerve growth factor (NGF), a protein necessary for survival and development of sympathetic neurons, is believed to be a trophic factor that is produced by sympathetic effector organs, its synthesis by these tissues has never been conclusively demonstrated. Using an assay capable of detecting 10 fg of mRNA, we measured the level of NGF mRNA in tissues innervated by sympathetic neurons. NGF mRNA was detected unambiguously in each tissue at a level that appeared to be more than enough to account for the low levels of NGF protein previously detected. Tissues that were densely innervated had comparatively high levels of NGF mRNA, while those with sparser innervation had lower levels. There was a strong positive correlation between the NGF mRNA level and norepinephrine content, a measure of the density of sympathetic innervation. NGF gene expression in one of these tissues, the iris, was shown to be induced by denervation. NGF mRNA was also found in other areas, including elements of the adult peripheral nervous system--the sciatic nerve and the sympathetic and sensory ganglia. In the central nervous system, levels of NGF mRNA were found that are too high to be attributed entirely to the vasculature, suggesting a role for NGF in adult central nervous system function.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

A synaptic vesicle antigen is restricted to the junctional region of the presynaptic plasma membrane.

The plasma membrane of electric organ nerve terminals has two domains that can be distinguished by monoclonal antibodies. A library of 111 mouse monoclonal antibodies raised to nerve terminals from Torpedo californica contains 4 antibodies that bind specifically to the outside of intact synaptosomes. The distribution of the binding sites of these monoclonal antibodies on the outside of intact nerve terminals was examined by immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy. The binding sites of 3 (tor23, 25, and 132) are distributed uniformly over nerve trunks and fine terminal branches. The binding site of the fourth (tor70) is restricted to synaptic junctional regions. This antibody, but not the other 3, recognizes a major component of synaptic vesicles, a proteoglycan associated with the inner surface of the vesicle membrane. The difference in the pattern of binding of these monoclonal antibodies suggests that the region of the plasma membrane containing active zones is antigenically distinguishable from other nerve terminal plasma membrane. We suggest that the antigen recognized by tor70 is externalized by exocytosis of synaptic vesicles while other plasma antigens take a different route to the surface. The unexpected observation that the vesicle antigen remains on the surface after exocytosis and is prevented from diffusion from the synaptic junctional region would be consistent with an interaction between the vesicle proteoglycan and elements of the synaptic cleft.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Development and application of an efficient procedure for converting mouse IgM into small, active fragments.

A simple method is described for generating active molecules with molecular weights between 110 and 230 kilodaltons from mouse immunoglobulin M. The majority of these molecules have a 1 : 1 ratio of intact heavy and light chains. Approximately 70% of the specific IgM protein will still bind antigen after digestion with only a small decrease in binding affinity. Both anti-kappa and anti-mu chain specific antisera recognize these molecules. These low molecular weight molecules are much more efficient in immunocytochemistry and have localized antigens that could not be detected with undigested IgM.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Mutants in the y region of bacteriophage lambda constitutive for repressor synthesis: their isolation and the characterization of the Hyp phenotype.

Bacteriophage lambdahyp mutants have been isolated as survivors of Escherichia coli K-12 bacteria lysogenic for lambda Nam7am53cI857. The hyp mutants are characterized by (i) their localization in the y region very close to the imm lambda/imm434 boundary, (ii) polarity on O gene expression, (iii) immediate recovery of lambda immunity at 30 degrees C after prolonged growth of lambda Nam7am53cI857 hyp lysogens at 42 degrees C even in the presence of an active cro gene product, (iv) ability of phage lambda v2v3vs326 but not lambda v1v2v3 to propagate on lambda cI+hyp lysogens, (v) inability to express lambda exonuclease activity after prophage induction, and (vi) inviability at any temperature of phage carrying the hyp mutation. All these properties are referred to collectively as the Hyp phenotype. We show that the Hyp phenotype is due to cII-independent constitutive cI-gene-product synthesis originating in the y region, which results in the synthesis of anti-cro RNA species, and constitutive levels of cro gene product present even in lambda cI+hyp lysogens. A model is presented which is consistent with all the experimental observations.

Antigens, Viral↗
PubMed1982

Characterization of a factor that promotes neurite outgrowth: evidence linking activity to a heparan sulfate proteoglycan.

Rat sympathetic neurons, plated onto extracellular matrix produced by cultured bovine corneal endothelial cells, rapidly extended neurites in the absence of nerve growth factor (NGF). The response was unaffected by antiserum to NGF. Rapid outgrowth also occurred when sympathetic neurons were plated onto polylysine-coated surfaces that had been exposed to serum-free medium conditioned by corneal endothelial cells (CMSF). A response was seen even when the neurons were cultured without serum. When plated onto a polylysine-coated dish treated with CMSF over half its surface, only the neurons on the treated half extended neurites. The active factor in CMSF was destroyed by trypsin, acid (pH 1.6), base (pH 12.7), or heating to 80 degrees C; it was stable to heating to 60 degrees C, collagenase, deoxyribonuclease, and neuraminidase. The factor elutes just after the void volume of a Sepharose 6B column. In associative cesium chloride gradients, it sediments as a peak centered at a density of 1.36-1.37, corresponding to a peak of material that can be biosynthetically labeled with [35S]sulfate or [3H]leucine. Material from this fraction was inactivated by heparinase, but not chondroitinase ABC, implying that a heparin sulfate proteoglycan is essential for the factor's activity. Inactivation by contaminants in the heparinase preparation was ruled out. Further purification indicated that the active factor may exist as an aggregate containing a heparin sulfate proteoglycan and other molecules. CMSF also promoted neurite outgrowth by other types of neurons. Furthermore, a variety of cell types were shown to produce factors similar to that in CMSF.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Appearance and distribution of neuronal cell surface and synaptic vesicle antigens in the developing rat superior cervical ganglion.

Monoclonal antibodies directed against a neuronal cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycan and against a synaptic vesicle protein were used to study the postnatal development of ganglionic neurons and synapses in the rat superior cervical ganglion. Antigen levels in developing ganglia were quantitated by radioimmune assays. Localization of antigens in adult and developing ganglia was carried out using peroxidase-antiperoxidase immunocytochemistry at the light microscopic level. Ultrastructural staining patterns in adult ganglia also were studied. The time course of antigen increases parallels those in previous reports on the accumulation of neurotransmitter enzymes within the ganglion. Both synaptic and surface antigens increase postnatally, with the most rapid changes occurring during the 2nd week. Antibodies stain adult tissue in patterns consistent with the expected distribution of antigens: antibodies directed against synaptic vesicles stain synaptic terminals and cell cytoplasm and those directed against surface proteoglycan stain the plasma membranes of neuronal cell bodies and processes. Variable staining of the cell cytoplasm also is observed. No apparent changes in antigen distribution are observed with the light microscope during development. Variations in the time course of the development of antigens associated with different portions of the proteoglycan molecule suggest that the intracellular processing of the molecule may vary during development.

Aging↗
PubMed1981

Identification of a synaptic vesicle-specific membrane protein with a wide distribution in neuronal and neurosecretory tissue.

Two different monoclonal antibodies, characterized initially as binding synaptic terminal regions of rat brain, bind a 65,000-dalton protein, which is exposed on the outer surface of brain synaptic vesicles. Immunocytochemical experiments at the electron microscope level demonstrate that these antibodies bind the vesicles in many different types of nerve terminals. The antibodies have been used successfully to purify synaptic vesicles from crude brain homogenates by immunoprecipitation onto the surface of polyacrylamide beads. The profiles of the structures precipitated by these beads are almost exclusively vesicular, confirming the vesicle-specificity of the antibodies. In SDS gels, the antibodies bind a single protein of 65,000 daltons. The two antibodies are not identical, but compete for binding sites on this protein. Immune competition experiments also demonstrate that the antigenic components on the 65,000-dalton protein are widely distributed in neuronal and neural secretory tissues. Detectable antigen is not found in uninnervated tissue--blood cells and extrajunctional muscle. Low levels are found in nonneural secretory tissues; it is not certain whether this reflects the presence of low amounts of the antigen on all the exocytotic vesicles in these tissues or whether the antigen is found only in neuronal fibers within these tissues. The molecular weight and at least two antigenic determinants of the 65,000-dalton protein are highly conserved throughout vertebrate phylogeny. The two antibodies recognize a 65,000-dalton protein present in shark, amphibia, birds, and mammals. The highly conserved nature of the determinants on this protein and their specific localization on secretory vesicles of many different types suggest that this protein may be essential for the normal function of neuronal secretory vesicles.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Cellular localization of the molecular forms of acetylcholinesterase in rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells treated with nerve growth factor.

In rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells treated with nerve growth factor (NGF), there are several molecular forms of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE) which sediment on sucrose density gradients at 4 to 6, 10, and 16 S, respectively. We have investigated the cellular localization of these forms in PC12 cells. In order to determine which forms are soluble and which are membrane bound, we extracted PC12 cells in buffers of various ionic strengths and detergent compositions. To distinguish internal from external forms of the enzyme, we examined the effect of di-isopropyl fluorophosphate and BW284c51 dibromide, membrane-permeable and -impermeable inhibitors of AChE, respectively, AChE forms in intact cells. We also determined the susceptibility of the forms in intact cells to collagenase treatment. Based on these studies, we conclude that the globular G1 and G2 (4 to 6 S) forms are internal and consist of both soluble and membrane-associated species. Thirty percent of the G4 (10 S) form is bound to cytoplasmic membrane structures, while the remainder occurs as an integral component of the plasma membrane. The asymmetric A12 (16 S) form is also a surface protein but is extracted by high salt without detergent and is released from intact cells by collagenase. This form thus contains a collagenous domain and is located outside of the plasma membrane, where it may be associated with an extracellular matrix.

Acetylcholinesterase↗
PubMed1979

Species-specific effects on the optical signals of voltage-sensitive dyes.

The absorption changes of two merocyanine dyes in response to membrane potential changes were measured on several neuronal preparations to see whether the dyes would be useful in recording from these cells. We were able to record large signals without averaging from barnacle and leech neurons. The greatest signal with WW375 was seen at 750 nm. Much smaller increases in transmitted light intensity were seen at all other wavelengths between 500 and 780 nm. In contrast, vertebrate neuronal preparations produced much smaller signals with an entirely different action spectrum. Essentially the same spectrum was seen in cells of the sympathetic ganglion of the bullfrog, Rana catesbiana, dissociated chick spinal cord neurons, or dissociated rat superior cervical ganglion neurons. In each case an action potential was accompanied by increases in transmitted light intensity between 500 and 600 nm and 730 and 780 nm, and decreases in intensity between 600 and 730 nm with the dye WW375, the best dye tested. Similar results were obtained with dye NK2367 on both vertebrate and invertebrate preparations, except that the spectral properties were shifted 30 nm towards the blue. Both dyes caused some photodynamic damage to the cultured neurons after a few minute's exposure to the illuminating light. Several analogues of these dyes were also tried, but did not produce larger signals.

Action Potentials↗