PUBLICATION

Development of axon pathways in the zebrafish central nervous system

Authors
Hjorth, J. and Key, B.
ID
ZDB-PUB-020807-9
Date
2002
Source
The International journal of developmental biology   46(4): 609-619 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Key, Brian
Keywords
none
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Axons/metabolism*
  • Axons/physiology*
  • Brain/embryology
  • Central Nervous System/embryology*
  • Central Nervous System/physiology*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental*
  • Models, Biological
  • Neurons/metabolism
  • Oligonucleotides, Antisense/pharmacology
  • Rhombencephalon/embryology
  • Spinal Cord/embryology
  • Time Factors
  • Zebrafish
PubMed
12141449
Abstract
The zebrafish has a number of distinct advantages as an experimental model in developmental biology. For example, large numbers of embryos can be generated in each lay, development proceeds rapidly through a very precise temporal staging which exhibits minimal batch-to-batch variability, embryos are transparent and imaging of wholemounts negates the need for tedious histological preparation while preserving three- dimensional spatial relationships. The zebrafish nervous system is proving a convenient model for studies of axon guidance because of its small size and highly stereotypical trajectory of axons. Moreover, a simple scaffold of axon tracts and nerves is established early and provides a template for subsequent development. The ease with which this template can be visualized as well as the ability to spatially resolve individual pioneer axons enables the role of specific cell-cell and molecular interactions to be clearly deciphered. We describe here the morphology and development of the earliest axon pathways in the embryonic zebrafish central nervous system and highlight the major questions that remain to be addressed with regard to axon guidance.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping