Motor axon subpopulations respond differentially to the chemorepellents netrin-1 and semaphorin D.

During development, growing motor axons are excluded from the ventral midline of the neural tube by diffusible chemorepellents emanating from this region. Molecular candidates for this chemorepellent activity include semaphorin D and netrin-1; the latter is known to repel trochlear motor axons. Qualitatively or quantitatively different responses to these molecules might underlie the initial deflection from the midline and subsequent segregation of motor axon trajectories. To test this idea, we have cocultured cell aggregates secreting netrin-1 or semaphorin D at a distance from tissue explants containing different motor neuron subpopulations, in collagen gels. Cranial motor axons that project dorsally in vivo such as those of the trigeminal, facial, and glossopharyngeal nuclei were repelled by both netrin-1 and semaphorin D. By contrast, ventrally projecting spinal motor axons and abducens axons were not affected by netrin-1. Spinal and abducens motor neurons also responded to semaphorin D. The ventrally projecting axons of oculomotor neurons were not repelled by netrin-1 or semaphorin D. Differential responsiveness to netrin-1 and semaphorin D could thus contribute to the generation of dorsal and ventral motor axon pathways during development.