Nagashima, M., Barthel, L.K., and Raymond, P.A. (2013) A self-renewing division of zebrafish Muller glial cells generates neuronal progenitors that require N-cadherin to regenerate retinal neurons. Development (Cambridge, England). 140(22):4510-4521.
Müller glia function as retinal stem cells in adult zebrafish. In response to loss of retinal neurons, Müller glia partially
dedifferentiate, re-express neuroepithelial markers and re-enter the cell cycle. We show that the immunoglobulin superfamily
adhesion molecule Alcama is a novel marker of multipotent retinal stem cells, including injury-induced Müller glia, and that
each Müller glial cell divides asymmetrically only once to produce an Alcama-negative, proliferating retinal progenitor. The
initial mitotic division of Müller glia involves interkinetic nuclear migration, but mitosis of retinal progenitors occurs
in situ. Rapidly dividing retinal progenitors form neurogenic clusters tightly associated with Alcama/N-cadherin-labeled Müller glial
radial processes. Genetic suppression of N-cadherin function interferes with basal migration of retinal progenitors and subsequent
regeneration of HuC/D+ inner retinal neurons.