This Science News Wire page contains a press release issued by an organization and is provided to you "as is" with little or no review from Science X staff.

How does Rho-associated protein kinase modulate neurite extension?

December 27th, 2013
How does Rho-associated protein kinase modulate neurite extension?
This is a Rho-associated protein kinase-regulated microtubule remodeling in rat hippocampus (immunofluorescence staining, scale bars: 10 μm.). After lysophosphatidic acid-treated cultures, inside the neurites, microtubules were arranged in a disorderly manner, and no typical growth cones were observed. Credit: Neural Regeneration Research

Rho-associated protein kinase is an essential regulator of cytoskeletal dynamics during the process of neurite extension. However, whether Rho kinase regulates microtubule remodeling or the distribution of adhesive proteins to mediate neurite outgrowth remains unclear.

By using the ROCK inhibitor, Y-27632, and the agonist, lysophosphatidic acid, Kenen Chen and colleagues from First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University in China observed that neurite outgrowth, microtubule remodeling and vinculin redistribution were tightly regulated by ROCK. They found that lysophosphatidic acid inhibited neurite outgrowth, which could be reversed by Y-27632. Meanwhile, reorganization of microtubules was noticed during these processes, as indicated by their significant changes in the soma and growth cone.

These findings, published in the Neural Regeneration Research (Vol. 8, No. 32, 2013), suggest that Rho kinase regulates rat hippocampal neurite growth and microtubule formation via a mechanism associated with the redistribution of vinculin.

More information:
Chen KE, Zhang WB, Chen J, Li SM, Guo GQ. Rho-associated protein kinase modulates neurite extension by regulating microtubule remodeling and vinculin distribution. Neural Regen Res. 2013;8(32):3027-3035.

Provided by Neural Regeneration Research

Citation: How does Rho-associated protein kinase modulate neurite extension? (2013, December 27) retrieved 26 July 2026 from https://sciencex.com/wire-news/149609601/how-does-rho-associated-protein-kinase-modulate-neurite-extensio.html
This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.
Back to list