scholarly journals Protocadherin-mediated cell repulsion controls the central topography and efferent projections of the abducens nucleus

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazuhide Asakawa ◽  
Koichi Kawakami
Keyword(s):  
Motor Neurons ◽  
Axon Growth ◽  
Abducens Nucleus ◽  
Efferent Projection ◽  
Genetic Perturbations ◽  
Soma Size ◽  
Efferent Projections ◽  
Duane Retraction Syndrome ◽  
Motor Nuclei ◽  
Ocular Motor System

SummaryCranial motor nuclei in the brainstem innervate diverse types of head and neck muscles. Failure in establishing these neuromuscular connections causes congenital cranial dysinnervation disorders (CCDDs) characterized by abnormal craniofacial movements. However, mechanisms that link cranial motor nuclei to target muscles are poorly understood at the molecular level. Here, we report that protocadherin-mediated repulsion mediates neuromuscular connection in the ocular motor system in zebrafish. We identify pools of abducens motor neurons that are topographically arranged according to soma size and convergently innervate a single muscle. Disruptions of Duane retraction syndrome-associated transcription factors reveal that these neurons require Mafba/MAFB, but not Sall4/SALL4, for differentiation. Furthermore, genetic perturbations of Pcdh17/Protocadherin-17 result in defective axon growth and soma clumping, thereby abolishing neuromuscular connectivity. Our results suggest that protocadherin-mediated repulsion forms the central topography and efferent projection pattern of the abducens nucleus following Mafba-dependent specification, and imply potential involvement of protocadherins in CCDD etiology.

Dedifferentiated Schwann cells secrete progranulin that enhances the survival and axon growth of motor neurons

Glia ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 67 (2) ◽  
pp. 360-375 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sujin Hyung ◽  
Sun-Kyoung Im ◽  
Bo Yoon Lee ◽  
Jihye Shin ◽  
Jong-Chul Park ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Schwann Cells ◽  
Motor Neurons ◽  
Axon Growth

The vestibuloocular reflex of the adult flatfish. I. Oculomotor organization

1985 ◽  
Vol 54 (4) ◽  
pp. 887-899 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Graf ◽  
R. Baker
Keyword(s):  
Eye Movements ◽  
Motor Neuron ◽  
Motor Neurons ◽  
Vertical Plane ◽  
Extraocular Muscles ◽  
The Body ◽  
Medial Rectus ◽  
Inferior Rectus ◽  
Abducens Nucleus ◽  
Eye Muscles

The flatfish species constitute a natural paradigm for investigating adaptive changes in the vertebrate central nervous system. During metamorphosis all species of flatfish experience a 90 degree change in orientation between their vestibular and extraocular coordinate axes. As a result, the optic axes of both eyes maintain their orientation with respect to earth horizontal, but the horizontal semicircular canals become oriented vertically. Since the flatfish propels its body with the same swimming movements when referenced to the body as a normal fish, the horizontal canals are exposed to identical accelerations, but in the flatfish these accelerations occur in a vertical plane. The appropriate compensatory eye movements are simultaneous rotations of both eyes forward or backward (i.e., parallel), in contrast to the symmetric eye movements in upright fish (i.e., one eye moves forward, the other backward). Therefore, changes in the extraocular muscle arrangement and/or the neuronal connectivity are required. This study describes the peripheral and central oculomotor organization in the adult winter flounder, Pseudopleuronectes americanus. At the level of the peripheral oculomotor apparatus, the sizes of the horizontal extraocular muscles (lateral and medial rectus) were considerably smaller than those of the vertical eye muscles, as quantified by fiber counts and area measurements of cross sections of individual muscles. However, the spatial orientations and the kinematic characteristics of all six extraocular muscles were not different from those described in comparable lateral-eyed animals. There were no detectable asymmetries between the left and the right eye. Central oculomotor organization was investigated by extracellular horseradish peroxidase injections into individual eye muscles. Commonly described distributions of extraocular motor neurons in the oculomotor, trochlear, and abducens nuclei were found. These motor neuron pools consisted of two contralateral (superior rectus and superior oblique) and four ipsilateral populations (inferior oblique, inferior rectus, medial rectus, and lateral rectus). The labeled cells formed distinct motor neuron populations, which overlapped little. As expected, the numbers of labeled motoneurons differed in horizontal and vertical eye movers. The numerical difference was especially prominent in comparing the abducens nucleus with one of the vertical recti subdivisions. Nevertheless, there was bilateral symmetry between the motoneurons projecting to the left and right eyes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

scholarly journals Frizzled3 controls axonal development in distinct populations of cranial and spinal motor neurons

eLife ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhong L Hua ◽  
Philip M Smallwood ◽  
Jeremy Nathans
Keyword(s):  
Cell Death ◽  
Motor Neurons ◽  
Planar Cell Polarity ◽  
Motor Nerve ◽  
Normal Wave ◽  
Axon Growth ◽  
Axonal Growth ◽  
Cell Complexes ◽  
Developing Neurons

Disruption of the Frizzled3 (Fz3) gene leads to defects in axonal growth in the VIIth and XIIth cranial motor nerves, the phrenic nerve, and the dorsal motor nerve in fore- and hindlimbs. In Fz3−/− limbs, dorsal axons stall at a precise location in the nerve plexus, and, in contrast to the phenotypes of several other axon path-finding mutants, Fz3−/− dorsal axons do not reroute to other trajectories. Affected motor neurons undergo cell death 2 days prior to the normal wave of developmental cell death that coincides with innervation of muscle targets, providing in vivo evidence for the idea that developing neurons with long-range axons are programmed to die unless their axons arrive at intermediate targets on schedule. These experiments implicate planar cell polarity (PCP) signaling in motor axon growth and they highlight the question of how PCP proteins, which form cell–cell complexes in epithelia, function in the dynamic context of axonal growth.

Engrailed-1 and netrin-1 regulate axon pathfinding by association interneurons that project to motor neurons

Development ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 126 (19) ◽  
pp. 4201-4212 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Saueressig ◽  
J. Burrill ◽  
M. Goulding
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Motor Neurons ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Axon Growth ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Second Phase ◽  
Axon Pathfinding ◽  
Cell Type Specific ◽  
Embryonic Spinal Cord ◽  
Ventrolateral Funiculus

During early development, multiple classes of interneurons are generated in the spinal cord including association interneurons that synapse with motor neurons and regulate their activity. Very little is known about the molecular mechanisms that generate these interneuron cell types, nor is it known how axons from association interneurons are guided toward somatic motor neurons. By targeting the axonal reporter gene τ-lacZ to the En1 locus, we show the cell-type-specific transcription factor Engrailed-1 (EN1) defines a population of association neurons that project locally to somatic motor neurons. These EN1 interneurons are born early and their axons pioneer an ipsilateral longitudinal projection in the ventral spinal cord. The EN1 interneurons extend axons in a stereotypic manner, first ventrally, then rostrally for one to two segments where their axons terminate close to motor neurons. We show that the growth of EN1 axons along a ventrolateral pathway toward motor neurons is dependent on netrin-1 signaling. In addition, we demonstrate that En1 regulates pathfinding and fasciculation during the second phase of EN1 axon growth in the ventrolateral funiculus (VLF); however, En1 is not required for the early specification of ventral interneuron cell types in the embryonic spinal cord.

Inhibition of motor axon growth by T-cadherin substrata

Development ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 122 (10) ◽  
pp. 3163-3171 ◽  
Author(s):  
B.J. Fredette ◽  
J. Miller ◽  
B. Ranscht
Keyword(s):  
Motor Neurons ◽  
Axon Growth ◽  
Neurite Growth ◽  
Motor Axon ◽  
Spinal Motor Neurons ◽  
Guidance Cue ◽  
Spinal Motor ◽  
Neuron Populations ◽  
Muscle Innervation

As spinal motor neurons project to their hindlimb targets, their growth cones avoid particular regions along their pathway. T-cadherin is discretely distributed in the avoided caudal sclerotome and on extrasynaptic muscle surfaces (B. J. Fredette and B. Ranscht (1994) J. Neurosci. 14, 7331–7346), and therefore, the ability of T-cadherin to inhibit neurite growth was tested in vitro. T-cadherin inhibited neurite extension from select neuron populations both as a substratum, and as a soluble recombinant protein. Anti-T-cadherin antibodies neutralized the inhibition. Spinal motor neurons were inhibited only during the stages of axon growth across the sclerotome and muscle innervation. Inhibitory responses corresponded to neuronal T-cadherin expression, suggesting a homophilic binding mechanism. These results suggest that T-cadherin is a negative guidance cue for motor axon projections.

scholarly journals The Effects of Bisphenol A Exposure at Different Developmental Time Points in an Androgen-Sensitive Neuromuscular System in Male Rats

Endocrinology ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 157 (8) ◽  
pp. 2972-2977 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bryan A. Jones ◽  
Lydia S. Wagner ◽  
Neil V. Watson
Keyword(s):  
Bisphenol A ◽  
Motor Neurons ◽  
Developmental Time ◽  
Male Rats ◽  
Lumbar Spinal Cord ◽  
Sexually Dimorphic ◽  
Adult Rats ◽  
Soma Size ◽  
Neural Survival ◽  
Lumbar Spinal

The industrial plasticizer bisphenol A (BPA) is a ubiquitous endocrine disruptor to which the general human population is routinely exposed. Although BPA is well known as an estrogenic mimic, there have been some suggestions that this compound may also alter activity at the androgen receptor. To determine whether BPA does have antiandrogenic properties, we evaluated BPA effects in the spinal nucleus of the bulbocavernosus and dorsolateral nucleus, sexually dimorphic groups of motor neurons in the lumbar spinal cord that are critically dependent on androgens for survival and maintenance, as well as the monomorphic retrodorsolateral nucleus. In experiment 1, we administered varying concentrations of BPA to juvenile rats pre- and postnatally and examined both the number and size of motor neurons in adulthood. In experiment 2, different doses of BPA were given to adult rats for 28 days, after which the soma size of motor neurons were measured. Although no effect of BPA on neural survival or soma size was noted after perinatal BPA exposure, BPA exposure did result in a decrease in soma size in all motor neuron pools after chronic exposure in adulthood. These findings are discussed with regard to putative antiandrogenic effects of BPA; we argue that BPA is not antiandrogenic but is acting through nonandrogen receptor-dependent mechanisms.

scholarly journals Immunofluorescence and image analysis pipeline for Drosophila motor neurons

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeremy R Brown ◽  
Chanpasith Phongthachit ◽  
Mikolaj J Sulkowski
Keyword(s):  
Image Analysis ◽  
Motor Neurons ◽  
Background Subtraction ◽  
Genetic Model ◽  
Automated Image Analysis ◽  
Ventral Ganglion ◽  
Pixel Intensity ◽  
Axon Terminals ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Motor Nuclei

Abstract The neuromuscular junction (NMJ) of larval Drosophila is widely used as a genetic model for basic neuroscience research. The presynaptic side of the NMJ is formed by axon terminals of motor neurons, the soma of which reside in the ventral ganglion of the central nervous system (CNS). Here we describe a streamlined protocol for dissection and immunostaining of the Drosophila CNS and NMJ that allows processing of multiple genotypes within a single staining tube. We also present a computer script called Automated Image Analysis with Background Subtraction which facilitates identification of motor nuclei, quantification of pixel intensity, and background subtraction. Together, these techniques provide a pipeline for neuroscientists to compare levels of different biomolecules in motor nuclei. We conclude that these methods should be adaptable to a variety of different cell and tissue types for the improvement of efficiency, reproducibility, and throughput during data quantification.

scholarly journals Functional characterization of Neurofilament Light b splicing and misbalance in zebrafish

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
DL Demy ◽  
ML Campanari ◽  
R Munoz-Ruiz ◽  
HD Durham ◽  
BJ Gentil ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Motor Neurons ◽  
Neuronal Development ◽  
Rna Binding ◽  
De Novo ◽  
Functional Characterization ◽  
Axon Growth ◽  
Motor Deficits ◽  
Neurofilament Light ◽  
Cytoplasmic Inclusions

AbstractNeurofilaments (NFs), a major cytoskeletal component of motor neurons, play a key role in their differentiation, establishment and maintenance of their morphology and mechanical strength. The de novo assembly of these neuronal intermediate filaments requires the presence of the neurofilament light subunit, NEFL, which expression is reduced in motor neurons in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). This study used zebrafish as a model to characterize the NEFL homologue neflb, which encodes two different isoforms via splicing of the primary transcript (neflbE4 and neflbE3). In vivo imaging showed that neflb is crucial for proper neuronal development, and that disrupting the balance between its two isoforms specifically affects NF assembly and motor axon growth, with resulting motor deficits. This equilibrium is also disrupted upon partial depletion of TDP-43, a RNA binding protein that is mislocalized into cytoplasmic inclusions in ALS. The study supports interaction of NEFL expression and splicing with TDP-43 in a common pathway, both biologically and pathogenetically.

Comparison of Saccade-Associated Neuronal Activity in the Primate Central Mesencephalic and Paramedian Pontine Reticular Formations

2007 ◽  
Vol 98 (2) ◽  
pp. 835-850 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason A. Cromer ◽  
David M. Waitzman
Keyword(s):  
Reticular Formation ◽  
Motor Neurons ◽  
Oculomotor System ◽  
Mesencephalic Reticular Formation ◽  
Abducens Nucleus ◽  
Premotor Neurons ◽  
Saccade Velocity ◽  
Saccade Control ◽  
Decomposition Models ◽  
Component Velocity

The oculomotor system must convert signals representing the target of an intended eye movement into appropriate input to drive the individual extraocular muscles. Neural models propose that this transformation may involve either a decomposition of the intended eye displacement signal into horizontal and vertical components or an implicit process whereby component signals do not predominate until the level of the motor neurons. Thus decomposition models predict that premotor neurons should primarily encode component signals while implicit models predict encoding of off-cardinal optimal directions by premotor neurons. The central mesencephalic reticular formation (cMRF) and paramedian pontine reticular formation (PPRF) are two brain stem regions that likely participate in the development of motor activity since both structures are anatomically connected to nuclei that encode movement goal (superior colliculus) and generate horizontal eye movements (abducens nucleus). We compared cMRF and PPRF neurons and found they had similar relationships to saccade dynamics, latencies, and movement fields. Typically, the direction preference of these premotor neurons was horizontal, suggesting they were related to saccade components. To confirm this supposition, we studied the neurons during a series of oblique saccades that caused “component stretching” and thus allowed the vectorial (overall) saccade velocity to be dissociated from horizontal component velocity. The majority of cMRF and PPRF neurons encoded component velocity across all saccades, supporting decomposition models that suggest horizontal and vertical signals are generated before the level of the motoneurons. However, we also found novel vectorial eye velocity encoding neurons that may have important implications for saccade control.

Loss of Hox-A1 (Hox-1.6) function results in the reorganization of the murine hindbrain

Development ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 118 (4) ◽  
pp. 1063-1075 ◽  
Author(s):  
E.M. Carpenter ◽  
J.M. Goddard ◽  
O. Chisaka ◽  
N.R. Manley ◽  
M.R. Capecchi
Keyword(s):  
Motor Neurons ◽  
Targeted Disruption ◽  
Molecular Defects ◽  
Transcription Pattern ◽  
Carbocyanine Dye ◽  
Efferent Projections ◽  
Efferent Neurons ◽  
Cranial Ganglia ◽  
Axon Projection

Targeted disruption of the murine hox-A1 gene results in severe defects in the formation of the hindbrain and associated cranial ganglia and nerves. Carbocyanine dye injections were used to trace afferent and efferent projections to and from the hindbrain in hox-A1-/hox-A1- mutant mice. Defects were observed in the position of efferent neurons in the hindbrain and in their projection patterns. In situ hybridization was used to analyze the transcription pattern of genes expressed within specific rhombomeres. Krox-20, int-2 (fgf-3), and hox-B1 all display aberrant patterns of expression in hox-A1- mutant embryos. The observed morphological and molecular defects suggest that there are changes in the formation of the hindbrain extending from rhombomere 3 through rhombomere 8 including the absence of rhombomere 5. Also, motor neurons identified by their axon projection patterns which would normally be present in the missing rhombomere appear to be respecified to or migrate into adjacent rhombomeres, suggesting a role for hox-A1 in the specification of cell identity and/or cell migration in the hindbrain.

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