Morphology of perineuronal nets in tenascin-R and parvalbumin single and double knockout mice

Recently identified chondroitin sulphate proteoglycans in perineuronal nets include neurocan and phosphacan. However, the function and assembly of the se components has yet to be resolved. In this study we show morphological a lteration in Wisteria floribunda labelled nets around cortical interneurone s both in tenascin-Ii knockout and tenascin-R/parvalbumin double knockout m ice. This alteration reflects the loss of phosphacan and neurocan from cort ical nets in mice deficient in tenascin-R. No effect on the membrane relate d cytoskeleton, as revealed by ankyrin,, was observed in any of the mice. T hese results on mice lacking tenascin-li substantiate previously reported i n vitro interactions between tenascin-R and phosphacan and neurocan. (C) 20 00 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.