PUBLICATION
GABA A α4 is expressed in cerebrospinal fluid-contacting neurons and regulates swim behavior in developing zebrafish
- Authors
- Barnaby, W., O'Malley, S., Downes, G.B.
- ID
- ZDB-PUB-251219-9
- Date
- 2025
- Source
- microPublication. Biology 2025: (Journal)
- Registered Authors
- Downes, Gerald
- Keywords
- none
- MeSH Terms
- none
- PubMed
- 41416012 Full text @ MicroPubl Biol
Citation
Barnaby, W., O'Malley, S., Downes, G.B. (2025) GABA A α4 is expressed in cerebrospinal fluid-contacting neurons and regulates swim behavior in developing zebrafish. microPublication. Biology. 2025:.
Abstract
GABA A receptors are present in hindbrain and spinal cord networks, playing a pivotal role in regulating locomotion. In this study, we demonstrate that mutations in the gabra4 gene, which encodes the α4 subunit of GABA A receptors, result in increased swim velocity of larval zebrafish. We also show that this gene is selectively expressed within spinal cord cerebrospinal fluid contacting neurons (CSF-cNs). Given the significance of these neurons in modulating locomotion, our findings support a model in which compromised α4 function leads to an increase in CSF-cN activity, causing a subtle, hyperactive swimming phenotype.
Genes / Markers
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping