The Integrin Receptor Mediates Interactions of Embryonic Chick Motor and Sensory Neurons with Tenascin-C

This paper identifies a neuronal receptor for tenascin-C (tenascin/cytotactin), ~n extracellular matrix protein that has previously been detected in developing sensory and motor neuron pathways and has been shown to regulate cell migration in the developing CNS. Antibodies specific for each subunit of the integrin ~ are used to demonstrate that o ~ mediates neurite outgrowth of embryonic sensory and motor neurons on this extrecellular matrix protein. In addition, expression of o~ in K562 cells results in surface expression of a.13~ heterodimers that are shown to promote attachment of this cell line to tenascin. The major domain in tenascin that mediates neurite outgrowth is shown to be localized to fibronectin type III repeats 6-8.