Pathfinding by neuronal growth cones in grasshopper embryos. IV. The effects of ablating the A and P axons upon the behavior of the G growth cone.

In the companion paper (Bastiani, M. J., J. A. Raper, and C. S. Goodman (1984) J. Neurosci. 4: 2311-2328), we show that as the G growth cone reaches its choice point and turns anteriorly on the A/P fascicle, its filopodia demonstrate selective affinity for the A/P fascicle as compared to the other approximately 25 longitudinal axon fascicles, and within the A/P fascicle itself, G's filopodia selectively contact the P axons as compared to the A axons. These results support the hypothesis that the A/P fascicle, and, moreover, subsets of axons within it (Ps versus As), are specifically labeled and that the G growth cone is determined to follow a particular labeled pathway. We tested the "labeled pathways" hypothesis by specifically ablating these axons and examining the subsequent behavior of the G growth cone in embryos grown in culture. Ablation of the A and P axons prevents G from growing more than a short distance anteriorly, although the G growth cone is within grasp of many other longitudinal axon fascicles. Ablation of only the P axons has a similar effect; the G growth cone behaves normally if only the A axons are ablated. Transmission electron micrograph semiserial section reconstructions of experimental embryos further indicate that G's growth cone behaves abnormally when the A and P axons, or only the P axons, are ablated. The G growth cone branches extensively in the lateral and ventral neuropil without it or its filopodia showing a high affinity for any other axon fascicle. These results indicate that the G growth cone is able to distinguish the A/P fascicle from the other longitudinal axon fascicles in the developing neuropil. Moreover, the results suggest that within the A/P fascicle the G growth cone is able to distinguish the P axons from the A axons.