Myoblasts and myoblast-conditioned medium attract the earliest spinal neurites from frog embryos.

A study was made of the capacity of newly segmented somites, unsegmented mesoderm and medium conditioned by each of these tissues to attract the growth of the earliest spinal neurites from the neural tube of Xenopus laevis in tissue culture. When presented with segmented somitic myoblasts or sheets of skin, spinal neurites grew selectively towards the somitic myoblasts. Neurites were not attracted specifically to somitic myoblasts from their own rostrocaudal level. A variable proportion of myoblasts from unsegmented caudal mesoderm differentiated and elongated in co-culture with neural tube and skin. These myoblasts also attracted neural outgrowths, but only if present in sufficient numbers. An agar slab containing medium conditioned by the presence of segmented myoblasts for 1 day attracted neurite outgrowths. A source of medium conditioned by the presence of undifferentiated, unsegmented myotomal mesoderm alone did not attract neurite outgrowths. Nerve growth factor (NGF) at a range of concentrations in the agar source (500-10,000 ng/ml) did not attract the earliest neurite outgrowths. It is concluded that the earliest skeletal myoblasts from Xenopus laevis embryos may attract neural outgrowths by releasing a soluble factor. Myoblasts may have to develop to the stage of somite segmentation before secretion of such an agent begins. The release of a myoblast-derived factor so early in development may assist directed nerve growth in vivo.