Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin
Online ISSN : 1347-5215
Print ISSN : 0918-6158
ISSN-L : 0918-6158
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N-Cadherin Plays a Role in the Synapse-Like Structures between Mast Cells and Neurites
Akio SuzukiRyo SuzukiTadahide FurunoReiko TeshimaMamoru Nakanishi
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2004 Volume 27 Issue 12 Pages 1891-1894

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Abstract

Communication between nerves and mast cells is a prototypic demonstration of neuro-immune interaction. Numerous studies have shown that the stimulation of nerves (or addition of neurotransmitters) can evoke activation of mast cells, and that mast cell-derived mediators can influence neuronal activity. However, the molecules involved in the membrane-membrane contacts between nerves and mast cells are still unknown. Here, we used an in vitro co-culture approach comprising interaction between immune (bone marrow-derived mast cell, BMMC) and nerve cells (superior cervical ganglia, SCG). The experiments showed clearly that the nerve-mast cell communication was supported by synapse-like structure and that N-cadherin, not E-cadherin, played an essential role in the synapse-like structure. In addition, we found that the synapse-like structure was assisted by clustering of β-catenin to N-cadherin.

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© 2004 The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan
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