Orientation of neurite growth by extracellular electric fields
Abstract
Extracellularly
applied
steady
electric
fields
of
0.1
to
10
V/cm
were
found
to
have
marked
effects
on
the
neurite
growth
of
single
dissociated
Xenopus
neurons
in
culture:
(1)
neurites
facing
the
cathode
showed
accelerated
growth,
while
the
growth
of
those
facing
the
anode
was
reduced.
Neurites
growing
relatively
perpendicular
to
the
field
axis
were
prompted
to
curve
toward
the
cathode.
(2)
More
neurites
appeared
to
be
initiated
from
the
cathodal
side
of
the
cell.
(3)
The
number
of
neurite-bearing
neurons
per
culture
and
the
average
neurite
length
were
increased.
These
effects
are
absent
in
cultures
treated
with
electric
fields
of
similar
strength
but
alternating
polarity
and
cannot
be
attributed
either
to
a
gradient
of
extracellular
diffusible
substances
or
to
the
flow
of
culture
medium
produced
by
the
field.
The
field
effects
are
reversible:
(I)
removal
of
the
electric
field
resulted
in
the
loss
of
neurite
orientation
in
a
few
hours
and
(2)
reversal
of
the
polarity
of
the
electric
field
led
to
a
rapid
reversal
in
the
neurite
orientation.
To
determine
the
cellular
loci
of
these
field
effects,
we
treated
the
neurons
with
a
number
of
pharmacological
agents
or
altered
their
ionic
environments.
Incubation
with
concanavalin
A
(Con
A)
was
found
to
abolish
these
field
effects
completely.
Since
the
binding
of
Con
A
to
the
neuronal
surface
was
shown
to
prevent
field-induced
accumulation
of
the
Con
A
receptors
toward
the
cathodal
side
of
these
neurons,
our
finding
is
consistent
with
the
notion
that
cathodal
accumulation
of
growth-controlling
surface
glycoproteins
by
the
field
is
the
underlying
mechanism
of
the
field-induced
orientation
of
neurite
growth
toward
the
cathode
URI
http://profiles.uonbi.ac.ke/npatel/publications/orientation-neurite-growth-extracellular-electric-fieldshttp://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/26438
Citation
Patel, Nilesh; Poo, M-ming. 1982. Orientation of neurite growth by extracellular electric fields. J. Neuroscience. 2:483-496.Publisher
University of Nairobi Department of Medical Physiology
Collections
- Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) [10378]