Linage analysis of neuronal development in zebrafish spinal cord

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 23300123
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Neuroscience in general
• Research Institution: Okazaki Research Facilities, National Institutes of Natural Sciences
• Principal Investigator: HIGASHIJIMA Shin-ichi 大学共同利用機関法人自然科学研究機構(岡崎共通研究施設), 岡崎統合バイオサイエンスセンター, 准教授 (80270479)
• Project Period (FY): 2011-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: ゼブラフィッシュ / イメージング / 細胞系譜 / 神経分化 / 脊髄

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The developing spinal cord is subdivided into distinct progenitor domains, each of which gives rise to different types of neurons. However, the developmental mechanisms responsible for generating neuronal diversity within a domain are not well understood. Here, we have studied zebrafish V0 neurons, those that derive from the p0 progenitor domain, in order to address this question. We find that all V0 neurons have commissural axons, but they can be divided into excitatory and inhibitory classes. V0 excitatory neurons (V0-e) can be further categorized into three groups based on their axonal trajectories; V0-eA (ascending), V0-eB (bifurcating), and V0-eD (descending) neurons. By using time-lapse imaging of p0 progenitors and their progeny, we show that inhibitory and excitatory neurons are produced from different progenitors. We also demonstrate that V0-eA neurons are produced from distinct progenitors, while V0-eB and V0-eD neurons are produced from common progenitors.

Free Research Field

神経科学、神経発生学