| Budget Amount *help |
¥5,200,000 (Direct Cost: ¥4,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,200,000)
Fiscal Year 2015: ¥1,560,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥360,000)
Fiscal Year 2014: ¥1,820,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥420,000)
Fiscal Year 2013: ¥1,820,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥420,000)
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| Outline of Final Research Achievements |
Retinal ganglion cell axons extend along the extracellular voltage gradient. However, there is no experimental evidence for the cell surface molecule that is activated asymmetrically in electric fields. Here I show that integrins and the extracellular calcium ions are involved in the electric axon guidance. Retinal strips of chick embryos were cultured in a constant electric field. Retinal ganglion cell axons extended towards the cathode. Anti-chicken integrin antibodies and a reduction in the extracellular calcium ions with EGTA enhanced the cathodal growth. These results suggested that the inhibition of integrins by the extracellular calcium ions underlies the electric axon guidance. In the embryonic retina, positive direct current (DC) potentials are generated by neuroepithelial cell’s sodium transport, of which disruption results in erroneous axon path-finding. Thus, the electric field plays a pivotal role in orienting newborn neurons’ axons.
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