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Agrin becomes concentrated at neuroeffector junctions in developing rodent urinary bladder

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Abstract

The formation of somatic neuromuscular junctions in skeletal muscle is regulated by an extracellular matrix protein called agrin. Here, we have examined the expression and localization of agrin during development of the rodent urinary bladder, as a first step to examining its possible role at autonomic neuroeffector junctions in smooth muscle. We have found that agrin is expressed on the surface of developing smooth muscle cells and in the basement membrane underlying the urothelium. More importantly, agrin is progressively concentrated at parasympathetic varicosities during postnatal development and is present at virtually all junctions in mature muscle. Reverse transcription/polymerase chain reaction analysis has shown that pelvic ganglion neurons that innervate the bladder express LN/z8 agrin, whereas bladder smooth muscle expresses LN/z− agrin. Together, these results demonstrate that nerve and/or muscle agrin becomes localized at cholinergic parasympathetic varicosities in smooth muscle, where it could play a role in the maturation of the neuroeffector junction.

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Abbreviations

β-DG:

Beta-dystroglycan

E:

Embryonic day

ECM:

Extracellular matrix

MuSK:

Muscle-specific kinase

PN:

Postnatal day

RT-PCR:

Reverse transcription/polymerase chain reaction

SCG:

Superior cervical ganglia

VAChT:

Vesicular acetylcholine transporter

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Acknowledgements

We thank Drs. S. Carbonetto and C. Jacobson (McGill University) for their generous gift of antibodies, and the Ferns laboratory for their helpful comments on the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Research in Neuroscience, Research Institute of McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada, H3G 1A4

    J. Gingras, J. Spicer & M. Altares

  2. UConn Center on Aging, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT 06030, USA

    M. Altares, Q. Zhu & G. A. Kuchel

  3. Department of Anesthesiology and Physiology and Membrane Biology, University of California at Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA

    M. Ferns

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  1. J. Gingras
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  2. J. Spicer
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  3. M. Altares
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  4. Q. Zhu
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  5. G. A. Kuchel
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  6. M. Ferns
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. Ferns.

Additional information

J. Gingras and J. Spicer contributed equally to this work.

This work was supported by a Canadian Institute of Health Research grant (MOP-13237) and UC Davis Medical School startup funds to M.F.

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Gingras, J., Spicer, J., Altares, M. et al. Agrin becomes concentrated at neuroeffector junctions in developing rodent urinary bladder. Cell Tissue Res 320, 115–125 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00441-004-1045-9

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