The synaptic vesicle protein synaptotagmin promotes formation of filopodia in fibroblasts

NEURONAL filopodia are actin-rich cytoplasmic extensions that are involved in motility and recognition in growth cones and maturing axonal endings. A detailed understanding of neuronal growth will depend on clarification of the membrane fusion events occurring during filopodial extension. The synapt...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nature (London) 1993-08, Vol.364 (6437), p.537-540
Main Authors: Feany, Mel B, Buckley, Kathleen M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Biological and medical sciences
Calcium-Binding Proteins
Cell differentiation, maturation, development, hematopoiesis
Cell Division - genetics
Cell Division - physiology
Cell Line
Cell Membrane - physiology
Cell Membrane - ultrastructure
Cell physiology
CHO Cells
Cricetinae
Drosophila
Fibroblasts
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Fusion
Humanities and Social Sciences
Humans
letter
Membrane Glycoproteins - genetics
Membrane Glycoproteins - physiology
Membranes
Molecular and cellular biology
multidisciplinary
Nerve Tissue Proteins - genetics
Nerve Tissue Proteins - physiology
Neurology
Neurons - cytology
Pseudopodia - physiology
Pseudopodia - ultrastructure
Rats
Rodents
Science
Science (multidisciplinary)
Synaptophysin - genetics
Synaptophysin - physiology
Synaptotagmins
Transfection
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Summary:NEURONAL filopodia are actin-rich cytoplasmic extensions that are involved in motility and recognition in growth cones and maturing axonal endings. A detailed understanding of neuronal growth will depend on clarification of the membrane fusion events occurring during filopodial extension. The synaptic vesicle protein synaptotagmin seems to be intimately involved in exocytotic membrane fusion 1–3 . Here we show that fibroblast cell lines transfected with synaptotagmin form long, highly branched, actin-rich filopodial processes, with the expressed synaptotagmin being incorporated into the plasma membrane. In contrast, cell lines expressing either of two other synaptic vesicle proteins, SV2 or synaptophysin, generate only rudimentary processes, and, like neurons, sort SV2 and synaptophysin to small intracellular vesicles. As presynaptic calcium entry regulates synaptic vesicle fusion, our results indicate that synaptotagmin might link neuronal activity with synaptic growth.
ISSN:0028-0836
1476-4687
DOI:10.1038/364537a0