Neural crest αN‐catenin function in cranial ganglia assembly (344.1)

Abstract

Neural crest cells are crucial for proper vertebrate development, building the craniofacial skeleton and, together with epidermal placode cells, the cranial ganglia of the peripheral nervous system. Defective ganglia function can lead to conditions such as neuralgia and peripheral neuropathies and contribute to other diseases. Migratory neural crest cells are generated from immotile precursors possessing adherens junctions composed of cadherins and αN‐catenin, a protein that also controls formation of central nervous system structures. Although αN‐catenin down‐regulation is critical for initial neural crest cell emigration from the neural tube, a later role for αN‐catenin in the peripheral nervous system is not known. To this end, we evaluated αN‐catenin spatio‐temporal distribution and perturbed αN‐catenin function to elucidate effects on cranial trigeminal ganglia formation in the chick. We find that migratory neural crest cells forming the trigeminal ganglia re‐express αN‐catenin and, as in the trunk, express Cadherin‐7. αN‐catenin perturbation alters trigeminal ganglia assembly through changes in neural crest and placode cell contribution to the ganglia as well as Cadherin‐7 distribution and levels. Importantly, αN‐catenin function is likely conserved in other cranial ganglia. Together, our results highlight a novel role for neural crest cell αN‐catenin in cranial gangliogenesis.Grant Funding Source: Supported by NSF IOS‐0948525