Pathway of thalamocortical axons is formed during region formation of the ventral thalamus

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26430021
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Neurophysiology / General neuroscience
• Research Institution: Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Ono Katsuhiko 京都府立医科大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 教授 (30152523)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): Takebayashi Hirohide 新潟大学, 大学院・医歯学総合研究科, 教授 (60353439)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: Olig2 / 視床 / 腹側視床 / 神経回路形成 / 軸索ガイダンス分子 / 転写因子 / 領域形成 / 視床隆起

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Thalamocortical axons (TCAs) extend from the dorsal thalamus to the cerebral cortex through ventral thalamus and ventral telencephalon. We aimed to examine how axons are regulated when they extend from the thalamus to the ventral telencephalon. Especially, we focused on instructive mechanisms in the ventral thalamus. For this purpose, we analyzed expression of axon guidance molecules in these areas. Candidate molecules were picked up from the microarray analysis of Olig2 deficient mouse forebrain which shows malformed TCA projection. Among the molecules that were shown to be altered their expression in the Olig2-KO mouse, qPCR elucidated that expression of some kinds of proteoglycan and that of Slit2 were really altered in the Olig2-KO mouse. However, in situ hybridization analysis showed no or few alteration in expression of these molecules. It is possible that subtle change of expression could alter axonal path finding.

Free Research Field

神経発生学