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2000 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

Functional analysis of zebrafish retina-specific atonal gene and its expression profile

Research Project

Project/Area Number 11680729
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)

Allocation TypeSingle-year Grants
Section一般
Research Field Developmental biology
Research InstitutionThe institute of physical and chemical research (RIKEN)

Principal Investigator

MASAI Ichiro  RIKEN, Lab for developmental gene regulation, Researcher, 発生遺伝子制御研究チーム, 研究員 (50242087)

Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) OKAMOTO Hitoshi  RIKEN, Lab for developmental gene regulation, Team leader (Researcher), 発生遺伝子制御研究チーム, チームリーダー(研究職) (40183769)
Project Period (FY) 1999 – 2000
Keywordszebrafish / retina / neuronal differentiation / atonal
Research Abstract

In the vertebrate, the retina region is specified in anterior neural plate and evaginates to form the optic cup, where six major classes of neurons and one-type of glia differentiate. Thus, the retina provides a good model, in which to study neuronal differentiation in the developing brain. Another interesting feature is that neuronal differentiation is initiated in one location and spreads to the whole region of the retina. In the compound eye of the invertebrate, the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, cycle between activation of secretion factor, Hedgehog, and transcription factor, Atonal, is essential for progression of a neurogenic wave across the eye field. However, mechanisms underlying induction and progression of neurogenesis in the vertebrate retina is unknown.
To elucidate mechanisms underlying induction and progression of neuronal differentiation in the developing retina, we cloned zebrafish atonal gene, ath5, which expresses exclusively in newly differentiating retinal neur … More ons, In zebrafish, ath5 expression is initiated at nasal retina and spreads to dorsal and temporal region of the retina, suggesting that a wave of neuronal differentiation spreads from nasal to temporal in zebrafish. The nasal region is adjacent to the optic stalk tissue, raising a possibility that interaction between optic stalk and neural retina is important for initial induction of ath5 expression in the nasal retina. To test this possibility, the boundary between the optic stalk and the neural retina was ablated with focussed laser beam. This ablation disrupts initial induction of ath5 expression. Furthermore, transplantation of optic stalk tissue induces ectopically ath5 expression in temporal region of the retina. These data suggest that initial induction of neurogenesis is regulated by signals from optic stalk and that progression process is mediated by relays of short-range signals. These data suggest a striking similarity of regulation of a neurogenic wave between the vertebrate and Drosophila eye. Less

  • Research Products

    (6 results)

All Other

All Publications (6 results)

  • [Publications] Masai,I.,Stemple,D.L.,Okamoto,H.,Wilson,S.W.: "Midline signals regulate retinal neurogenesis in zebrafish"Neuron. 27. 251-263 (2000)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] 政井一郎: "ゼブラフィッシュ網膜における神経細胞分化の開始および伝搬機構"蛋白質核酸酵素「小型魚類研究の新展開」. 54. 2782-2790 (2000)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] 政井一郎: "網膜における神経細胞分化の波の制御機構"細胞工学. 19. 1742-1744 (2000)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] Masai, I., Stemple, D.L., Okamoto, H., and Wilson, S.W.: "Midline signals regulate retinal neurogenesis in zebrafish."Neuron. 27. 251-263 (2000)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Publications] Masai, I.: "Mechanisms underlying induction and progression of a neurogenic wave in the zebrafish developing retina. (in Japanese)"PNE (Tanpakusitu-kakusan-kouso, Kyouritu-syuppan). 54. 2782-2790 (2000)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Publications] Masai, I.: "Mechanisms regulating a wave of neuronal differentiation in the vertebrate developing retina. (in Japanese)"Cell Technology (Saiboukougaku, Shujunsha). 19. 1742-1744 (2000)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より

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Published: 2002-03-26  

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