Roof Plate-Derived Radial Glial-like Cells Support Developmental Growth of Rapidly Adapting Mechanoreceptor Ascending Axons

Publication date: 5 June 2018
Source:Cell Reports, Volume 23, Issue 10
Author(s): Kim Kridsada, Jingwen Niu, Parthiv Haldipur, Zhiping Wang, Long Ding, Jian J. Li, Anne G. Lindgren, Eloisa Herrera, Gareth M. Thomas, Victor V. Chizhikov, Kathleen J. Millen, Wenqin Luo
Spinal cord longitudinal axons comprise some of the longest axons in our body. However, mechanisms that drive this extra long-distance axonal growth are largely unclear. We found that ascending axons of rapidly adapting (RA) mechanoreceptors closely abut a previously undescribed population of roof plate-derived radial glial-like cells (RGLCs) in the spinal cord dorsal column, which form a network of processes enriched with growth-promoting factors. In dreher mutant mice that lack RGLCs, the lengths of ascending RA mechanoreceptor axon branches are specifically reduced, whereas their descending and collateral branches, and other dorsal column and sensory pathways, are largely unaffected. Because the number and intrinsic growth ability of RA mechanoreceptors are normal in dreher mice, our data suggest that RGLCs provide critical non-cell autonomous growth support for the ascending axons of RA mechanoreceptors. Together, our work identifies a developmental mechanism specifically required for long-range spinal cord longitudinal axons.

Graphical abstract

Teaser

Kridsada et al. identified a population of roof plate-derived radial glial-like cells in the dorsal midline of the developing spinal cord. These cells form a growth-supportive "highway" for developing long-projecting spinal cord axons. This study provides direct evidence for a glia-axon developmental growth mechanism.


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