Neuron
Volume 12, Issue 5, May 1994, Pages 957-975
Journal home page for Neuron

Embryonic neurons of the developing optic chiasm express L1 and CD44, cell surface molecules with opposing effects on retinal axon growth

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Abstract

The first retinal ganglion cell axons arriving at the embryonic mouse ventral diencephalon encounter an inverted V-shaped neuronal array defining the midline and posterior boundaries of the future optic chiasm. These neurons express L1, an immunoglobulin superfamily molecule known to promote retinal axon outgrowth, and CD44, a cell surface molecule that we find inhibits embryonic retinal axon growth in vitro. Incoming retinal axons do not penetrate this L1/CD44 neuron array, but turn to establish the characteristic X-shaped optic chiasm along the anterior border of this array. These results suggest that L1/CD44 neurons may serve as an anatomical template for retinal axon pathways at the embryonic mouse ventral diencephalon.

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    Present address: Departments of Ophthalmology and Physiology, K107, 10 Kirkham Street, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143.

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