Plasma fibronectin supports neuronal survival and reduces brain injury following transient focal cerebral ischemia but is not essential for skin-wound healing and hemostasis.

Published

Journal Article

Fibronectin performs essential roles in embryonic development and is prominently expressed during tissue repair. Two forms of fibronectin have been identified: plasma fibronectin (pFn), which is expressed by hepatocytes and secreted in soluble form into plasma; and cellular fibronectin (cFn), an insoluble form expressed locally by fibroblasts and other cell types and deposited and assembled into the extracellular matrix. To investigate the role of pFn in vivo, we generated pFn-deficient adult mice using Cre-loxP conditional gene-knockout technology. Here we show that pFn-deficient mice show increased neuronal apoptosis and larger infarction areas following transient focal cerebral ischemia. However, pFn is dispensable for skin-wound healing and hemostasis.

Full Text

Duke Authors

Erickson, Harold Paul

Cited Authors

Sakai, T; Johnson, KJ; Murozono, M; Sakai, K; Magnuson, MA; Wieloch, T; Cronberg, T; Isshiki, A; Erickson, HP; Fässler, R

Published Date

March 2001

Published In

Nature Medicine

Volume / Issue

7 / 3

Start / End Page

324 - 330

PubMed ID

11231631

Pubmed Central ID

11231631

Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)

1546-170X

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

1078-8956

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1038/85471

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