In human serum, at least two molecular species of the neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) with molecular weights of 110,000-130,000 and 150,000-180,000, respectively, can be identified by Western blotting. Both are characterized by the absence of epitopes for monoclonal antibodies KD11 and MG5, which specifically recognize intracellular domains of the human NCAM transmembrane isoforms, NCAM-14...

The formation of neurocircuitry depends on the control of neurite outgrowth that, in turn, can be divided into two processes: nerve growth cone protrusion and neurite extension. It has long been known that the neural cell adhesion molecules L1 and NCAM-180 promote neurite outgrowth, but how they function in growth cones is unclear. We addressed the roles of L1 and NCAM-180 in neurite outgrowth ...

Pluripotent stem cells can be directed to differentiate into motor neurons and assessed for functionality in vitro. An emerging application of this technique is to model genetically inherited diseases in differentiated motor neurons and to screen for new therapeutic targets. The neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is essential to the functionality of motor neurons and its dysfunction is a primary hall...

The polysialylation of neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) evolved in vertebrates to carry out biological functions related to changes in cell position and morphology. Many of these effects involve the attenuation of cell interactions that are not mediated through NCAM's own adhesion properties. A proposed mechanism for this global effect on cell interaction is the steric inhibition of membran...

background:the polysialylated neural cell adhesion molecule (psa-ncam) is expressed in developing brain. fetal brain damage is caused by different conditions such as seizure and hypoxia. the present study was designed to investigate the effect of maternal seizures on the number of psa-ncam positive cells in pup's hippocampus. methods: female wistar rats were divided into four groups: (a) k...

Contact-mediated interactions between Sertoli cells and gonocytes are important for testicular development. Specifically, down-regulation of neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM)-based intercellular adhesion during postnatal maturation is likely to be important for appropriate differentiation of testicular cells. Besides NCAM, P-cadherin is also present in neonatal testicular cords, at least in ...

In this study we have examined how unnatural sialic acids can alter polysialic acid expression and influence the adhesive properties of the neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM). Unnatural sialic acids are generated by metabolic conversion of synthetic N-acyl mannosamines and are typically incorporated into cell-surface glycoconjugates. However, N-butanoylmannosamine and N-pentanoylmannosamine a...

GABAergic basket interneurons form perisomatic synapses, which are essential for regulating neural networks, and their alterations are linked to various cognitive dysfunction. Maturation of basket synapses in postnatal cortex is activity dependent. In particular, activity-dependent downregulation of polysialiac acid carried by the neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) regulates the timing of the...

Polysialic acid-neural cell adhesion molecule (PSA-NCAM) expression in the adult nervous system is restricted to regions retaining a capacity for morphological plasticity. For the female rat hypothalamoneurohypophysial system (HNS), we have previously shown that lactation induces a dramatic decrease in PSA-NCAM, while leaving the level of total NCAM protein unchanged. Here, we wanted to elucida...

NCAM plays a key role in neural development and plasticity-mediating cell adhesion and differentiation mainly through homophilic binding. Until recently, attempts to modulate neuronal differentiation and plasticity through NCAM have been impeded by the absence of small synthetic agonists mimicking homophilic interactions of NCAM. We show here that a peptide, P2, corresponding to a 12-amino acid...