PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Andrew A. Jarjour
AU  - Colleen Manitt
AU  - Simon W. Moore
AU  - Katherine M. Thompson
AU  - Sung-Joo Yuh
AU  - Timothy E. Kennedy
TI  - Netrin-1 Is a Chemorepellent for Oligodendrocyte Precursor Cells in the Embryonic Spinal Cord
AID  - 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.23-09-03735.2003
DP  - 2003 May 01
TA  - The Journal of Neuroscience
PG  - 3735--3744
VI  - 23
IP  - 9
4099  - http://www.jneurosci.org/content/23/9/3735.short
4100  - http://www.jneurosci.org/content/23/9/3735.full
SO  - J. Neurosci.2003 May 01; 23
AB  - Netrin-1, secreted by floor plate cells, orients axon extension in relation to the ventral midline of the embryonic spinal cord. Oligodendrocyte precursor (OP) cells are born close to the ventral midline and migrate away from the floor plate. Here we show that OP cells, identified by expression of the platelet-derived growth factor α receptor, express the netrin receptors dcc andunc5h1 but do not express netrin-1. Using a microchemotaxis assay, we demonstrate that migrating OPs are repelled by a gradient of netrin-1 in vitro. Furthermore, application of netrin-1 to OPs in vitro triggers retraction of OP processes. In the absence of netrin-1 or Deleted in Colorectal Cancer (DCC) function in vivo, fewer OP cells migrate from the ventral to the dorsal embryonic spinal cord, consistent with netrin-1 acting as a repellent. In addition to their role regulating cell movement, DCC and UNC-5 homologs have been suggested to function as proapoptotic dependence receptors, triggering cell death in the absence of netrin-1. In contrast, we report no evidence of increased OP cell death in vivo or in vitro in the absence of either netrin-1 or DCC. These findings indicate that netrin-1 is a repellent cue for migrating OPs in the embryonic spinal cord.