PUBLICATION

Hh and Wnt signaling regulate formation of olig2(+) neurons in the zebrafish cerebellum

Authors
McFarland, K.A., Topczewska, J.M., Weidinger, G., Dorsky, R.I., and Appel, B.
ID
ZDB-PUB-080422-14
Date
2008
Source
Developmental Biology   318(1): 162-171 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Appel, Bruce, Dorsky, Richard, McFarland, Karen, Topczewska, Jolanta, Weidinger, Gilbert
Keywords
Cerebellum, Purkinje neuron, Eurydendroid neuron, Hedgehog, Wnt, Zebrafish, Dorsoventral, olig2
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Animals, Genetically Modified
  • Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors/genetics
  • Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors/metabolism*
  • Calbindin 2
  • Cerebellum/cytology
  • Cerebellum/embryology*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
  • Genes, Reporter
  • Hedgehog Proteins/genetics
  • Hedgehog Proteins/metabolism*
  • Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins/genetics
  • Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins/metabolism
  • Morphogenesis
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins/genetics
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins/metabolism*
  • Neurons/cytology
  • Neurons/physiology*
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled/genetics
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled/metabolism
  • S100 Calcium Binding Protein G/genetics
  • S100 Calcium Binding Protein G/metabolism
  • Signal Transduction*
  • Veratrum Alkaloids/metabolism
  • Wnt Proteins/genetics
  • Wnt Proteins/metabolism*
  • Zebrafish/anatomy & histology
  • Zebrafish/embryology*
  • Zebrafish/metabolism
  • Zebrafish Proteins/genetics
  • Zebrafish Proteins/metabolism*
PubMed
18423594 Full text @ Dev. Biol.
Abstract
The cerebellum, which forms from anterior hindbrain, coordinates motor movements and balance. Sensory input from the periphery is relayed and modulated by cerebellar interneurons, which are organized in layers. The mechanisms that specify the different neurons of the cerebellum and direct its layered organization remain poorly understood. Drawing from investigations of spinal cord, we hypothesized that the embryonic cerebellum is patterned on the dorsoventral axis by opposing morphogens. We tested this using zebrafish. Here we show that expression of olig2, which encodes a bHLH transcription factor, marks a distinct subset of neurons with similarities to eurydendroid neurons, the principal efferent neurons of the teleost cerebellum. In combination with other markers, olig2 reveals a dorsoventral organization of cerebellar neurons in embryos. Disruption of Hedgehog signaling, which patterns the ventral neural tube, produced a two-fold increase in the number of olig2(+) neurons. By contrast, olig2(+) neurons did not develop in embryos deficient for Wnt signaling, which patterns dorsal neural tube, nor did they develop in embryos deficient for both Hedgehog and Wnt signaling. Our data indicate that Hedgehog and Wnt work in opposition across the dorsoventral axis of the cerebellum to regulate formation of olig2(+) neurons. Specifically, we propose that Hedgehog limits the range of Wnt signaling, which is necessary for olig2(+) neuron development.
Genes / Markers
Figures
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Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping