Pattern of expression and activity of uPA system during laminar organization of optic lobe.

GOMEZ N .; SANCHEZ V; FUENTES F; SCICOLONE G; RAPACIOLI M; ZIMA G; FLORES V

Pinamar, Argentina.

Congreso; X Congress of the Panamerican Association for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. XLI Annual Meeting of the Argentine Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. XX Annual Meeting of the Argentine Society for Neurochemistry.; 2005

Panamerican Association for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Argentine Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Argentine Society for Neurochemistry.

DN-P7. PATTERN OF EXPRESSION AND ACTIVITY OF UPA SYSTEM DURING LAMINAR ORGANIZATION OF OPTIC LOBE Gomez NV1, Sanchez VN1, Fuentes F1, Scicolone GE1, Rapacioli M2, Zima G1, Flores V1,2. 1Inst. of Cell Biol. and Neurosci. School of Medicine, UBA, Argentina. 2Interdiscipl. Group in Theorical Biol., Favaloro University, Argentina. E-mail: nataliavgr@hotmail.com The extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling plays an important role in cell migration, neurite outgrowth and tissue remodeling in the development of nervous system. Urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and its receptor (uPAR) trigger ECM degradation, cell adhesion and cell migration. We investigated the expression and activity of uPA and uPAR in the developing chick optic lobe. This structure shows a cortical organization that develops following a cephalo-caudal gradient axis (c-cGA). Embryos of different ages were used to perform immunohistochemical and biochemical studies. Results show that two successive waves of uPA activity extend along the c-cGA. The first one correlates with a massive neuronal migration and the second one coincides with neurite outgrowth and synapse formation. Immunohistochemical studies show a complex pattern of uPA and uPAR expression that involves different cell types (glia and neurons) and specific layers along the lamination process. These results suggest that the uPA system plays a central role in ECM remodeling and morphogenetic events. This work was supported by grants from UBACYT and CONICET, Argentina.