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

First published online 5 October 2005
doi: 10.1242/dev.02046

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Supplementary Material All Versions of this Article: dev.02046v1 132/21/4869    most recent Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend 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 Gamse, J. T. Articles by Halpern, M. E. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Gamse, J. T. Articles by Halpern, M. E. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Directional asymmetry of the zebrafish epithalamus guides dorsoventral innervation of the midbrain target

Joshua T. Gamse^1,*,, Yung-Shu Kuan^1,, Michelle Macurak¹, Christian Brösamle¹, Bernard Thisse², Christine Thisse² and Marnie E. Halpern^1,

¹ Carnegie Institution of Washington, Department of Embryology, 3520 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
² IGBMC, CNRS/INSERM/ULP, 1 rue Laurent Fries, BP10142, CU de Strasbourg, 67404 Illkirch cedex, France

Author for correspondence (e-mail: halpern{at}ciwemb.edu)

Accepted 9 August 2005

The zebrafish epithalamus, consisting of the pineal complex and flanking dorsal habenular nuclei, provides a valuable model for exploring how left-right differences could arise in the vertebrate brain. The parapineal lies to the left of the pineal and the left habenula is larger, has expanded dense neuropil, and distinct patterns of gene expression from the right habenula. Under the influence of Nodal signaling, positioning of the parapineal sets the direction of habenular asymmetry and thereby determines the left-right origin of habenular projections onto the midbrain target, the interpeduncular nucleus (IPN). In zebrafish with parapineal reversal, neurons from the left habenula project to a more limited ventral IPN region where right habenular axons would normally project. Conversely, efferents from the right habenula adopt a more extensive dorsoventral IPN projection pattern typical of left habenular neurons. Three members of the leftover-related KCTD (potassium channel tetramerization domain containing) gene family are expressed differently by the left and right habenula, in patterns that define asymmetric subnuclei. Molecular asymmetry extends to protein levels in habenular efferents, providing additional evidence that left and right axons terminate within different dorsoventral regions of the midbrain target. Laser-mediated ablation of the parapineal disrupts habenular asymmetry and consequently alters the dorsoventral distribution of innervating axons. The results demonstrate that laterality of the dorsal forebrain influences the formation of midbrain connections and their molecular properties.

Key words: KCTD gene family, leftover gene, Left-right asymmetry, Habenular nuclei, Fasciculus retroflexus, Interpeduncular nucleus, Diencephalon

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

This article has been cited by other articles:

				L. A. Quina, S. Wang, L. Ng, and E. E. Turner Brn3a and Nurr1 Mediate a Gene Regulatory Pathway for Habenula Development J. Neurosci., November 11, 2009; 29(45): 14309 - 14322. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Roussigne, I. H. Bianco, S. W. Wilson, and P. Blader Nodal signalling imposes left-right asymmetry upon neurogenesis in the habenular nuclei Development, May 1, 2009; 136(9): 1549 - 1557. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. Miyasaka, K. Morimoto, T. Tsubokawa, S.-i. Higashijima, H. Okamoto, and Y. Yoshihara From the Olfactory Bulb to Higher Brain Centers: Genetic Visualization of Secondary Olfactory Pathways in Zebrafish J. Neurosci., April 15, 2009; 29(15): 4756 - 4767. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				I. H Bianco and S. W Wilson The habenular nuclei: a conserved asymmetric relay station in the vertebrate brain Phil Trans R Soc B, April 12, 2009; 364(1519): 1005 - 1020. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. Facchin, H. A Burgess, M. Siddiqi, M. Granato, and M. E Halpern Determining the function of zebrafish epithalamic asymmetry Phil Trans R Soc B, April 12, 2009; 364(1519): 1021 - 1032. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				X. Lin and X. Xu Distinct functions of Wnt/{beta}-catenin signaling in KV development and cardiac asymmetry Development, January 15, 2009; 136(2): 207 - 217. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. D. Snelson, K. Santhakumar, M. E. Halpern, and J. T. Gamse Tbx2b is required for the development of the parapineal organ Development, May 1, 2008; 135(9): 1693 - 1702. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y.-S. Kuan, H.-H. Yu, C. B. Moens, and M. E. Halpern Neuropilin asymmetry mediates a left-right difference in habenular connectivity Development, March 1, 2007; 134(5): 857 - 865. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. F. Webb and T. F. Schilling Zebrafish in comparative context: A symposium Integr. Comp. Biol., October 1, 2006; 46(5): 569 - 576. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. E. Halpern, O. Gunturkun, W. D. Hopkins, and L. J. Rogers Lateralization of the Vertebrate Brain: Taking the Side of Model Systems J. Neurosci., November 9, 2005; 25(45): 10351 - 10357. [Full Text] [PDF]