Neuroscience 2005 Abstract
| Presentation Number: | 249.11 |
|---|---|
| Abstract Title: | Polarized axon growth of hippocampal neurons cultured on tapered lines of laminin. |
| Authors: |
Scharnweber, R. F.*1
; Brewer, G. J.2
; Wheeler, B. C.1
1Neuroscience Program, Univ. of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 2IL, 2514 Beckman Inst, 61801, |
| Primary Theme and Topics |
Development - Axonal and Dendritic Development -- Axon growth and guidance: Other |
| Secondary Theme and Topics | Development<br />- Axonal and Dendritic Development<br />-- Axon growth and guidance: Growth cones |
| Session: |
249. Axon Growth and Guidance I Poster |
| Presentation Time: | Sunday, November 13, 2005 3:00 PM-4:00 PM |
| Location: | Washington Convention Center - Hall A-C, Board # B6 |
| Keywords: | AXON GUIDANCE, PATTERNING, EXTRACELLULAR MATRIX, DIRECTIONAL |
Previous work has shown that cultured hippocampal neurons extend axons in the direction of an increasing substrate-bound laminin gradient. However, these gradients are either difficult to manufacture or lack sufficient spatial resolution to guide individual axons for experiments requiring patterned cultures. To circumvent these problems, we have developed a tapered line pattern that has the growth properties of a laminin gradient with high spatial resolution and used it to direct the growth of single axons in culture. Poly(dimethylsiloxane) microstamps with line patterns 5µm wide at one end tapering to a width of 2µm over a distance of 2mm were coated 100µg/mL laminin. The tapered line laminin pattern was then transferred to glass cover slips by microcontact printing and background regions were coated with 100µg/mL polylysine to promote cell attachment. Finally, rat E18 hippocampal neurons were cultured on the laminin patterns and axons of individual cells were scored for alignment to the laminin pattern after 2 days. We found that 72% of axons grew toward the wider end of the tapered line versus the 50% expected by chance (p<0.02, n=29). This technique may be useful for controlling the growth and synaptic connectivity of individual neurons in culture.
Supported by NSF EIA 01-30828
Sample Citation:
[Authors]. [Abstract Title]. Program No. XXX.XX. 2005 Neuroscience Meeting Planner. Washington, DC: Society for Neuroscience, 2005. Online.
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