Quantitative single particle tracking of NGF–receptor complexes: Transport is bidirectional but biased by longer retrograde run lengths

Echarte, María M.
Bruno, Luciana
Arndt-Jovin, Donna J.
Jovin, Thomas M.
Pietrasanta, Lía I.

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Publication date

June 2007

DOI

10.1016/j.febslet.2007.05.041

Publisher

Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V.

ISSN

0014-5793

Citation count (estimate)

Abstract

AbstractThe retrograde transport of nerve growth factor (NGF) in neurite-like processes of living differentiated PC12 cells was studied using streptavidin-quantum dots (QDs) coupled to monobiotin-NGF. These reagents were active in differentiation, binding, internalization, and transport. Ten-35% of the QD–NGF–receptor complexes were mobile. Quantitative single particle tracking revealed a bidirectional step-like motion, requiring intact microtubules, with a net retrograde velocity of 0.054±0.020μm/s. Individual runs had a mean velocity of ∼0.15μm/s at room temperature, and the run times were exponentially distributed. The photostability and brightness of QDs permit extended real-time analysis of individual QDbNGF– receptor complexes traffic...