| First Author | Vogel KS | Year | 1995 |
| Journal | Cell | Volume | 82 |
| Issue | 5 | Pages | 733-42 |
| PubMed ID | 7671302 | Mgi Jnum | J:68952 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:1933752 | Doi | 10.1016/0092-8674(95)90470-0 |
| Citation | Vogel KS, et al. (1995) Loss of neurofibromin results in neurotrophin-independent survival of embryonic sensory and sympathetic neurons. Cell 82(5):733-42 |
| abstractText | Mutations at the neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1) locus in humans and mice result in abnormal growth of neural crest-derived cells, including melanocytes and Schwann cells. We have exploited a targeted disruption of the NF1 gene in mice to examine the role of neurofibromin in the acquisition of neurotrophin dependence in embryonic neurons. We show that both neural crest- and placode-derived sensory neurons isolated from NF1(-/-) embryos develop, extend neurites, and survive in the absence of neurotrophins, whereas their wild-type counterparts die rapidly unless nerve growth factor (NGF) or brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is added to the culture medium. Moreover, NF1 (-/-) sympathetic neurons survive for extended periods and acquire mature morphology in the presence of NGF-blocking antibodies. Our results are consistent with a model wherein neurofibromin acts as a negative regulator of neurotrophin-mediated signaling for survival of embryonic peripheral neurons. |
