Biomedical subjects

L Pays

Publications and source records attributed to L Pays.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1997

Close link between cutaneous nerve pattern development and feather morphogenesis demonstrated by experimental production of neo-apteria and ectopic feathers: implication of chondroitin sulphate proteoglycans and other matrix molecules.

In chick skin, nerve arcades develop around the base of feathers. In order to understand the mechanisms of their formation, we have tried to dissociate arcade formation from feather morphogenesis in various ways. Nerve patterns were analysed (1) in hydrocortisone-treated embryos that are partially devoid of feathers, (2) after retinoic acid treatment that produces ectopic feathers, (3) in dorsal root ganglia-skin co-cultures. Whenever tested, immunochemistry revealed that nerve arcades form around chondroitin sulphate proteoglycan-rich areas. Hydrocortisone treatment modifies the distribution of two out of three chondroitin sulphate proteoglycan epitopes tested, as well as the shapes of the feathers and nerve arcades, but not fibronectin, tenascin or laminin localizations. Chondroitinase digestion in co-cultures eliminated the nerve arcade formation and produced abnormally thin feathers, but nevertheless with a normal spatial distribution. Thus, chondroitin sulphate proteoglycans are probably not involved in the overall arrangement of feathers, but appear to play a fundamental role in both the formation of nerve arcades and the morphogenesis of the feather.

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PubMed1997

Regulation of the chick cutaneous innervation pattern in retinoic acid-induced ectopic feathers and in the naked neck mutant.

In chick skin, nerve fibers develop in a typical network formed by arcades around the base of feathers. In this study, we tried to dissociate the morphogenesis of nerve arcades and feathers, and to clarify the implication of several matricial molecules in these two developmental events. For this purpose, cutaneous nerve pattern and distribution of fibronectin, tenascin, and three epitopes of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs) have been immunohistologically studied in the skin of the specific apteria of naked neck chick mutants, which lack feathers in the neck area, and in the tarso-metatarsal zone of retinoic acid-treated embryos where ectopic feathers grow. The presence of feathers was always associated with nerve arcades; no arcades were present in featherless areas. Specific immunofluorescence for tenascin and two epitopes of CSPGs revealed different distributions in the naked-neck neo-apteria as compared to control apteria. Moreover, the only difference in matricial composition in ectopic feathers concerned a CSPG isoform, bringing additional evidence that extracellular matrix molecules, and especially some (but not all) CSPGs, are involved both directly and indirectly in the cutaneous nerve pattern development.

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PubMed1996

[Development of the cutaneous nervous system].

Skin of vertebrates is richly innervated, mainly by sensory nerve fibres which form a well organized pattern, particularly around phaners. This innervation develops segmentally (dermatomes) from cutaneous branches provided by spinal nerves. The innervation begins at 13 days (E 13) in the mouse embryo and, although hair buds form at E 16, follicles are only innervated from 5 days postnatally being complete at about 20 days. In the chick skin, innervation forms a regular and characteristic pattern around feathers, and can be visualized on whole mounts. Its development can be traced from 6 days of development in relation to feather morphogenesis. Experiments producing non formation of spinal ganglia (X-ray irradiation or neural tube ablation) or production of neoapteria (hydrocortisone treatment) or ectopic feathers on scales (retinoic acid treatment) show there is a close link between feather development and nerve pattern formation. In vitro co-cultures of dorsal root ganglia and epidermis combined with the use of synthesis inhibitors and antibodies, showed that epidermis has a repulsive effect on nerve fibres mediated, at least in part, by chondroitin sulphate proteoglycans. These compounds have been localized, using antibodies mainly at the base of the feather buds and seem to play a key role in the construction of the fine nerve pattern around feather follicles. In conclusion, the specific nerve patterns are the final result of selective responses of growing nerve endings to unique combinations of local cues and conflicting interactions which are developmentally regulated in parallel with the morphogenesis of phaners.

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PubMed1994

Development of sensory innervation in chick skin: comparison of nerve fibre and chondroitin sulphate distributions in vivo and in vitro.

In bird skin, nerve fibres develop in the dermis but do not enter the epidermis. In co-cultures of 7-day-old chick embryo dorsal root ganglia and epidermis, the neurites also avoid the epidermis. Previous studies have shown that chondroitin sulphate proteoglycans may be involved. Chondroitin sulphate has therefore been visualized by immunocytochemistry, using the monoclonal antibody CS-56, both in vivo and in vitro using light and electron microscopy. Its distribution was compared to those of 2 other chondroitin sulphate epitopes and to that of the growing nerve fibres. In cultures of epidermis from 7-day-old embryonic chicks, immunoreactivity is found uniformly around the epidermal cells while at 7.5 days the distribution in dermis is heterogeneous, and particularly marked in feather buds. In vivo, chondroitin sulphate immunoreactivity is detected in the epidermis, on the basal lamina, on the surfaces of fibroblasts and along collagen fibrils. This localization is complementary to the distribution of cutaneous nerves. Chondroitin sulphate in the basal lamina could prevent innervation of the epidermis and the dermal heterogeneities could partly explain the nerve fibres surrounding the base of the feathers. Chondroitin sulphate could therefore be important for neural guidance in developing chick skin.

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