b-Neuregulin-1 is required for the in vivo development of functional Ca 2 1-activated K 1 channels in parasympathetic neurons

Content Provider	Semantic Scholar
Author	Cameron, J. Spottiswoode Dryer, Laurence Dryer, Stuart E.
Copyright Year	2001
Abstract	The development of functional Ca21-activated K1 channels (KCa) in chick ciliary ganglion (CG) neurons requires interactions with afferent preganglionic nerve terminals. Here we show that the essential preganglionic differentiation factor is an isoform of b-neuregulin-1. b-Neuregulin-1 transcripts are expressed in the midbrain preganglionic Edinger–Westphal nucleus at developmental stages that coincide with or precede the normal onset of macroscopic KCa in CG neurons. Injection of b-neuregulin-1 peptide into the brains of developing embryos evoked a robust stimulation of functional KCa channels at stages before the normal appearance of these channels in CG neurons developing in vivo. Conversely, injection of a neutralizing antiserum specific for b-neuregulin-1 inhibited the development of KCa channels in CG neurons. Low concentrations of b-neuregulin-1 evoked a robust increase in whole-cell KCa in CG neurons cocultured with iris target tissues. By contrast, culturing CG neurons with iris cells or low concentrations of b-neuregulin-1 by themselves was insufficient to stimulate KCa. These data suggest that the preganglionic factor required for the development of KCa in ciliary ganglion neurons is an isoform of b-neuregulin-1, and that this factor acts in concert with targetderived trophic molecules to regulate the differentiation of excitability.
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Alternate Webpage(s)	http://www.pnas.org/content/98/5/2832.full.pdf
Language	English
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Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article