PUBLICATION

Axonal defasciculation is restricted to specific branching points during regeneration of the lateral line nerve in zebrafish

Authors
Roy, R.S., Hudspeth, A.J.
ID
ZDB-PUB-251215-12
Date
2025
Source
Development (Cambridge, England) : (Journal)
Registered Authors
Hudspeth, A.J. (Jim)
Keywords
Axon guidance, Collagen XVIII, Extracellular matrix, Hair cell, Schwann cell, Synapse
Datasets
GEO:GSE297706
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Axons*/metabolism
  • Axons*/physiology
  • Basement Membrane/metabolism
  • Lateral Line System*/innervation
  • Lateral Line System*/physiology
  • Mutation
  • Nerve Regeneration*/physiology
  • Schwann Cells/metabolism
  • Zebrafish*/physiology
  • Zebrafish Proteins/genetics
  • Zebrafish Proteins/metabolism
PubMed
41392721 Full text @ Development
Abstract
Peripheral nerve regeneration requires precise selection of the appropriate targets of innervation, often in an environment that differs from that during the developmental wiring of the neural circuit. Severed axons of the zebrafish posterior lateral line nerve have the capacity to reinnervate mechanosensory hair cells clustered in neuromast organs. Regeneration represents a balance between fasciculated regrowth of the axonal bundle and defasciculation of individual axons into the epidermis where neuromasts reside. The cues that guide pathfinding during regeneration of the posterior lateral line nerve are unknown. Here we show that regenerating axons selectively defasciculate through distinct gaps in the epidermal boundary layer. We found that the gene col18a1a, which codes for the secreted heparan sulfate proteoglycan collagen XVIII, is expressed by the neuromast and by a subset of Schwann cells that are located at the points of axonal defasciculation. Furthermore, we observed aberrant axonal branching at inappropriate locations during nerve regeneration in col18a1a mutants. We propose a model in which collagen XVIII patterns the basement membrane to affect the precision of axonal navigation.
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