Journal article
Overexpression of tau in a nonneuronal cell induces long cellular processes
The Journal of cell biology, Vol.114(4), pp.725-733
08/15/1991
DOI: 10.1083/jcb.114.4.725
PMCID: PMC2289897
PMID: 1678391
Abstract
The ways in which the various microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) contribute to cellular function are unknown beyond the ability of these proteins to modify microtubule dynamics. One member of the MAP family, tau protein, is restricted in its distribution to the axonal compartment of neurons, and has therefore prompted studies that attempt to relate tau function to the generation or maintenance of this structure. Sf9 cells from a moth ovary, when infected with a baculovirus containing a tau cDNA insert, elaborate very long processes. This single gene product expressed in a foreign host cell grossly alters the normal rounded morphology of these cells. The slender, relatively nonbranched appearance of these processes as well as their uniform caliber resembles the light-microscopic appearance of axons observed in several neuronal culture systems. Immunolabeling of the tau-expressing Sf9 cells demonstrated tau reactivity in the induced processes, and EM that microtubule bundles were present in the processes. Microtubule stabilization alone was insufficient to generate processes, since taxol treatment did not alter the overall cell shape, despite the induction of microtubule bundling within the cell body.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Overexpression of tau in a nonneuronal cell induces long cellular processes
- Creators
- J Knops - Athena Neuroscience Inc., San Francisco, CaliforniaK S Kosik - Athena Neuroscience Inc., San Francisco, CaliforniaG Lee - Athena Neuroscience Inc., San Francisco, CaliforniaJ D Pardee - Athena Neuroscience Inc., San Francisco, CaliforniaL Cohen-Gould - Athena Neuroscience Inc., San Francisco, CaliforniaL McConlogue - Athena Neuroscience Inc., San Francisco, California
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- The Journal of cell biology, Vol.114(4), pp.725-733
- DOI
- 10.1083/jcb.114.4.725
- PMID
- 1678391
- PMCID
- PMC2289897
- ISSN
- 0021-9525
- eISSN
- 1540-8140
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 08/15/1991
- Academic Unit
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Immunology; Internal Medicine
- Record Identifier
- 9984065398102771
Metrics
20 Record Views