Laminin promotes cerebellar granule cells migration in vitro and is synthesized by cultured astrocytes

Newborn rat cerebellum microexplants have been used as a model to study neuronal migration. Laminin in a substrate-bound form modifies extensively the migratory behavior of the neurones, an effect which is blocked if antilaminin antibodies are present during the assay. 35S methionine incorporation followed by SDS-PAGE electrophoresis, fluorography and immunoprecipitation with antilaminin antibodies allowed to demonstrate that laminin is synthesized and secreted by cultured newborn rat cerebellum as well as by cultured newborn rat cerebral cortex astrocytes.