QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s):
Home     Help     Feedback     Subscriptions     Archive     Search     Table of Contents

First published online 25 February 2004
doi: 10.1242/dev.01041

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: dev.01041v1 131/7/1553    most recent Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Related articles in Development Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Zhang, J. Articles by Bao, Z.-Z. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Zhang, J. Articles by Bao, Z.-Z. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Disruption of gradient expression of Zic3 resulted in abnormal intra-retinal axon projection

Department of Medicine and Cell Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 364 Plantation Street, Worcester, MA 01605, USA

^* Author for correspondence (e-mail: zheng.bao{at}umassmed.edu)

Accepted 15 December 2003

The targeting of retinal ganglion axons toward the optic disc is the first step in axon pathfinding in the visual system. The molecular mechanisms involved in guiding the retinal axons to project towards the optic disc are not well understood. We report that a gene encoding a zinc-finger transcription factor, Zic3, is expressed in a periphery-high and center-low gradient in the retina at the stages of active axon extension inside the retina. The gradient expression of Zic3 recedes towards the periphery over the course of development, correlating with the progression of retinal cell differentiation and axonogenesis. Disruption of gradient expression of Zic3 by retroviral overexpression resulted in mis-targeting of retinal axons and some axons misrouted to the sub-retinal space at the photoreceptor side of the retina. Misexpression of Zic3 did not affect neurogenesis or differentiation inside the retina, or grossly alter retinal lamination. By stripe assay, we show that misexpression of Zic3 may induce the expression of an inhibitory factor to the retinal axons. Zic3 appears to play a role in intra-retinal axon targeting, possibly through regulation of the expression of specific downstream genes involved in axon guidance.

Key words: Zic3, Gradient expression, Intra-retinal axon projection, Chick

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

Related articles in Development:

Cue Zic3: axonal guidance in the retina

Development 2004 131: e702. [Full Text]  

This article has been cited by other articles:

				I. G. Huttner, M. L. Kennerson, S. W. Reddel, D. Radovanovic, and G. A. Nicholson Proof of genetic heterogeneity in X-linked Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease Neurology, December 12, 2006; 67(11): 2016 - 2021. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Thompson, O. Camand, D. Barker, and L. Erskine Slit Proteins Regulate Distinct Aspects of Retinal Ganglion Cell Axon Guidance within Dorsal and Ventral Retina J. Neurosci., August 2, 2006; 26(31): 8082 - 8091. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Zelina, H. X. Avci, K. Thelen, and G. E. Pollerberg The cell adhesion molecule NrCAM is crucial for growth cone behaviour and pathfinding of retinal ganglion cell axons Development, August 15, 2005; 132(16): 3609 - 3618. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Kolpak, J. Zhang, and Z.-Z. Bao Sonic Hedgehog Has a Dual Effect on the Growth of Retinal Ganglion Axons Depending on Its Concentration J. Neurosci., March 30, 2005; 25(13): 3432 - 3441. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]