PUBLICATION

Illuminating ALS Motor Neurons With Optogenetics in Zebrafish

Authors
Asakawa, K., Handa, H., Kawakami, K.
ID
ZDB-PUB-210407-66
Date
2021
Source
Frontiers in cell and developmental biology   9: 640414 (Review)
Registered Authors
Kawakami, Koichi
Keywords
RNA metabolism, neurodegenarative disease, optogenetics, phase transition, protein aggregation
MeSH Terms
none
PubMed
33816488 Full text @ Front Cell Dev Biol
Citation
Asakawa, K., Handa, H., Kawakami, K. (2021) Illuminating ALS Motor Neurons With Optogenetics in Zebrafish. Frontiers in cell and developmental biology. 9:640414.
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurological disorder characterized by progressive degeneration of motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. Spinal motor neurons align along the spinal cord length within the vertebral column, and extend long axons to connect with skeletal muscles covering the body surface. Due to this anatomy, spinal motor neurons are among the most difficult cells to observe in vivo. Larval zebrafish have transparent bodies that allow non-invasive visualization of whole cells of single spinal motor neurons, from somas to the neuromuscular synapses. This unique feature, combined with its amenability to genome editing, pharmacology, and optogenetics, enables functional analyses of ALS-associated proteins in the spinal motor neurons in vivo with subcellular resolution. Here, we review the zebrafish skeletal neuromuscular system and the optical methods used to study it. We then introduce a recently developed optogenetic zebrafish ALS model that uses light illumination to control oligomerization, phase transition and aggregation of the ALS-associated DNA/RNA-binding protein called TDP-43. Finally, we will discuss how this disease-in-a-fish ALS model can help solve key questions about ALS pathogenesis and lead to new ALS therapeutics.
Genes / Markers
Figures
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Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping
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