PUBLICATION

Interactions with identified muscle cells break motoneuron equivalence in embryonic zebrafish

Authors
Eisen, J.S. and Melançon, E.
ID
ZDB-PUB-011031-8
Date
2001
Source
Nature Neuroscience   4(11): 1065-1070 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Eisen, Judith S., Melançon (Brandenburg), Ellie
Keywords
none
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Apoptosis*
  • Cell Communication
  • Cell Survival
  • Fluorescent Dyes/metabolism
  • Growth Cones/physiology
  • Growth Substances/pharmacology
  • Models, Biological
  • Motor Neurons/cytology
  • Motor Neurons/drug effects
  • Motor Neurons/physiology*
  • Muscle, Skeletal/cytology
  • Muscle, Skeletal/innervation*
  • Muscle, Skeletal/metabolism
  • Zebrafish/embryology*
  • Zebrafish/physiology
PubMed
11600891 Full text @ Nat. Neurosci.
Abstract
Two zebrafish motoneurons, CaP and VaP, are initially developmentally equivalent; later, CaP innervates ventral muscle, whereas VaP dies. Current models suggest that vertebrate motoneuron death results from failure to compete for limited, target-derived trophic support. In contrast, we provide evidence that zebrafish ventral muscle can support both CaP and VaP survival. However, VaP's growth cone is prevented from extending into ventral muscle by CaP-dependent interactions with identified muscle fibers, the muscle pioneers; this interaction breaks the initial equivalence of CaP and VaP. Thus, the processes mediating VaP death are more complex than failure to compete for trophic support, and may be important for correct spatial patterning.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping