Low lead levels stunt neuronal growth in a reversible manner

Cline, H. T., Witte, S., Jones, K. W. (September 1996) Low lead levels stunt neuronal growth in a reversible manner. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 93 (18). pp. 9915-20.

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Abstract

The developing brain is particularly susceptible to lead toxicity; however, the cellular effects of lead on neuronal development are not well understood. The effect of exposure to nanomolar concentrations of lead on several parameters of the developing retinotectal system of frog tadpoles was tested. Lead severely reduced the area and branchtip number of retinal ganglion cell axon arborizations within the optic tectum at submicromolar concentrations. These effects of lead on neuronal growth are more dramatic and occur at lower exposure levels than previously reported. Lead exposure did not interfere with the development of retinotectal topography. The deficient neuronal growth does not appear to be secondary to impaired synaptic transmission, because concentrations of lead that stunted neuronal growth were lower than those required to block synaptic transmission. Subsequent treatment of lead-exposed animals with the chelating agent 2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid completely reversed the effect of lead on neuronal growth. These studies indicate that impaired neuronal growth may be responsible in part for lead-induced cognitive deficits and that chelator treatment counteracts this effect.

Item Type: Paper
Uncontrolled Keywords: Animals Calcium Channels/metabolism Electrophysiology Lead/*toxicity Neurons/*drug effects Polyvinyls Rana pipiens Succimer/pharmacology Superior Colliculus/drug effects/growth & development Synaptic Transmission/drug effects
Subjects: organs, tissues, organelles, cell types and functions > cell types and functions > cell functions > neurogenesis
CSHL Authors:
Communities: CSHL labs > Cline lab
Depositing User: Matt Covey
Date: 3 September 1996
Date Deposited: 22 May 2014 18:55
Last Modified: 13 Sep 2019 16:14
PMCID: PMC38529
Related URLs:
URI: https://repository.cshl.edu/id/eprint/30160

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