Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
10
pubmed:dateCreated
2001-5-24
pubmed:abstractText
The formation of a retinotopic map is thought to involve an activity-independent molecular phase for early steps of both axon pathfinding and projection and a later phase in which cross talk between retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and tectal neurons modifies and refines the neuronal connections. We report that the maturation of the retinotopic map in the zebrafish tectum involves activity-dependent processes. Zebrafish larvae mutant for the gene macho (mao) lack neuronal activity in RGCs and also display an enlarged retinotectal projection field but no significant increase in single axon length. This morphological defect can be phenocopied by raising larvae under TTX-induced neural impulse blockade. The effect of activity deprivation is dependent on the developmental stage. The projection phenotype in mao as well as in the TTX-treated larvae develops between 4 and 6 d post-fertilization (dpf), after complete tectal coverage is first achieved. Electrophysiological recordings of RGCs in wild-type and mao zebrafish larvae reveal a temporally regulated reduction of sodium current in the mutant between 5 and 6 dpf. This coincides with the time of the axonal projection shifting on the tectum to compensate for the disparate growth patterns of the retina and the tectum. Our genetic and physiological analyses suggest a model in which neuronal activity in RGCs is needed for the establishment of morphological plasticity.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
May
pubmed:issn
1529-2401
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Electronic
pubmed:day
15
pubmed:volume
21
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
3542-8
pubmed:dateRevised
2007-11-15
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2001
pubmed:articleTitle
Analysis of the activity-deprived zebrafish mutant macho reveals an essential requirement of neuronal activity for the development of a fine-grained visuotopic map.
pubmed:affiliation
Max-Planck-Institut für Entwicklungsbiologie, 72076 Tübingen, Germany, and Zoologisches Institut, Universität Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article