Greatly impaired migration of implanted aquaporin‐4‐deficient astroglial cells in mouse brain toward a site of injury

• DOI: 10.1096/fj.06-6848com
• Publication Date: 2006-11-30T01:50:22Z
• Authors: Kurtis I. Auguste; Songwan Jin; Kazunori Uchida; Donghong Yan; Geoffrey T. Manley; Marios C. Papadop...; A. S. Verkman
• Keywords: Aquaporin 4; Neuroglia

We reported previously that astroglia cultured from aquaporin-4-deficient (AQP4-/-) mice migrate more slowly in vitro than those wild-type (AQP4+/+) (J. Cell Sci. 2005;118, 5691-5698). Here, we investigate the migration of fluorescently labeled AQP4+/+ and AQP4-/- after implantation into mouse brains which directional movement was stimulated by a planar stab wound 3 mm away axis injection needle. Two days cell determined location, elongation ratio, orientation cells. Migration but not cells toward greater stab. moved on average 1.5 compared with 0.6 for More 25% migrating <3% appeared elongated (axial ratio>2.5). In transwell assays, migrated faster manner dependent pore size. At 8 h, approximately 50% through 8-microm diameter pores, whereas equivalent found 12-microm pores. These results provide vivo evidence AQP4-dependent astroglial suggest modulation AQP4 expression or function might alter glial scarring.