PUBLICATION

Visualization of cranial motor neurons in live transgenic zebrafish expressing green fluorescent protein under the control of the islet-1 promoter/enhancer

Authors
Higashijima, S., Hotta, Y., and Okamoto, H.
ID
ZDB-PUB-000126-9
Date
2000
Source
The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience   20(1): 206-218 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Higashijima, Shin-ichi, Okamoto, Hitoshi
Keywords
zebrafish; neuron-specific promoter; transgenic; Islet-1; motor neuron; GFP; live visualization.
MeSH Terms
  • Larva/cytology
  • Larva/physiology
  • Vagus Nerve/cytology
  • Vagus Nerve/growth & development
  • Zebrafish
  • Enhancer Elements, Genetic/physiology
  • Animals
  • Genes, Reporter
  • Indicators and Reagents/metabolism*
  • Oculomotor Nerve/cytology
  • Oculomotor Nerve/growth & development
  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • Trigeminal Nerve/cytology*
  • Trigeminal Nerve/growth & development
  • Glossopharyngeal Nerve/cytology
  • Glossopharyngeal Nerve/growth & development
  • Organisms, Genetically Modified
  • Neurons, Afferent/cytology
  • Neurons, Afferent/physiology
  • Carbocyanines
  • Luminescent Proteins/genetics*
  • LIM-Homeodomain Proteins
  • Mutagenesis/physiology
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic/physiology*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins
  • Motor Neurons/physiology*
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins*
  • Homeodomain Proteins/genetics*
  • Transcription Factors
  • Facial Nerve/cytology
  • Facial Nerve/growth & development
  • Muscle, Skeletal/innervation
PubMed
10627598 Full text @ J. Neurosci.
Abstract
We generated germ line-transmitting transgenic zebrafish that express green fluorescent protein (GFP) in the cranial motor neurons. This was accomplished by fusing GFP sequences to Islet-1 promoter/enhancer sequences that were sufficient for neural-specific expression. The expression of GFP by the motor neurons in the transgenic fish enabled visualization of the cell bodies, main axons, and the peripheral branches within the muscles. GFP-labeled motor neurons could be followed at high resolution for at least up to day four, when most larval neural circuits become functional, and larvae begin to swim and capture prey. Using this line, we analyzed axonal outgrowth by the cranial motor neurons. Furthermore, by selective application of DiI to specific GFP-positive nerve branches, we showed that the two clusters of trigeminal motor neurons in rhombomeres 2 and 3 innervate different peripheral targets. This finding suggests that the trigeminal motor neurons in the two clusters adopt distinct fates. In future experiments, this transgenic line of zebrafish will allow for a genetic analysis of cranial motor neuron development.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping