Distribution of tubulin and actin in neurites and growth cones of differentiating nerve cells

Embryonic chick nerve cells, from dissociated dorsal root ganglia, were cultured on polylysine substrata and examined for tubulin and actin distribution by indirect immunofluorescence. Antibodies generated against chick brain tubulin produced specific fluorescence in growth cones, neurites, and cell bodies without revealing distribution differences or substructure in the nerve cells. However, at reduced antitubulin concentrations, differences were resolved. Tubulin fluorescence remained uniform and intense in neurites and cell bodies, but exhibited reduced intensity and patterning in growth cones. Nonneuronal cells in the cultures served as controls for typical cytoplasmic tubulin fluorescence distribution. Straining controls demonstrated that fluorescence resulted from tubulin-antitubulin binding. Analogous studies, using antibodies generated against chick brain actin, demonstrated distribution differences at reduced antiactin concentrations, including "hot spots" of intense fluorescence in growth cones and a paucity of fluorescence in neurites.