Role of the Metalloproteinase Stromelysin in Axon Invasiveness

基质金属蛋白酶是一类分泌型金属蛋白酶家族，可降解细胞外基质的各种成分。最近的证据表明，神经细胞分泌的基质蛋白可能在轴突生长中发挥作用。为了解决这个问题，神经样克隆细胞系PC12将被用于一种新的体外实验，以研究实验中操纵的基质分解素水平对基底膜突起侵袭的影响。还将使用免疫细胞化学和原位底物降解来研究从PC12生长锥释放基质分解素的可能性。此外，还将研究基质分解素mRNA在胚胎大鼠中可能的组织特异性和发育阶段特异性表达。这些研究有望加强我们对涉及轴突生长的分子机制的理解。

Stromelysins are a family of secreted metalloproteinases that degrade various components of the extracellular matrix. Recent evidence suggests that the secretion of stromelysins from nerve cells may play a role in axonal growth. To address this issue, the neuronal-like clonal cell line, PC12, will be used in a novel in vitro assay to study the effect of experimentally manipulated stromelysin levels on neurite invasiveness of basal lamina. The possible release of stromelysin from PC12 growth cones will also be studied using immunocytochemistry and in situ substrate degradation. In addition, possible tissue-specific and developmental stage-specific expression of stromelysin mRNA will be studied in the embryonic rat. These studies promise to enhance our understanding of molecular mechanisms involved in the growth of axons.