Aplysia ror forms clusters on the surface of identified neuroendocrine cells

Sharen E. McKay, Jonathan Hislop, Darcy Scott, Andrew G.M. Bulloch, Leonard K. Kaczmarek, Thomas J. Carew, Wayne S. Sossin

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The ror receptors are a highly conserved family of receptor tyrosine kinases genetically implicated in the establishment of cellular polarity. We have cloned a ror receptor from the marine mollusk Aplysia californica. Aplysia ror (Apror) is expressed in most developing neurons and some adult neuronal populations, including the neuroendocrine bag-cell neurons. The Apror protein is present in peripheral neuronal processes and ganglionic neuropil, implicating the kinase in the regulation of growth and/or synaptic events. In cultured bag-cell neurons, the majority of the protein is stored in intracellular organelles, whereas only a small fraction is expressed on the surface. When expressed on the cell surface, the protein is clustered on neurites, suggesting that Apror is involved in the organization of functional domains within neurons. Apror immunoreactivity partially colocalizes with the P-type calcium channel BC-α1A at bag-cell neuron varicosities, suggesting a role for Apror in organizing neuropeptide release sites.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)821-841
Number of pages21
JournalMolecular and Cellular Neuroscience
Volume17
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - 2001

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Molecular Biology
  • Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
  • Cell Biology

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