PUBLICATION

Growth and pathfinding of regenerating axons in the optic projection of adult fish

Authors
Becker, C.G., and Becker, T.
ID
ZDB-PUB-061227-9
Date
2007
Source
Journal of neuroscience research   85(12): 2793-2799 (Review)
Registered Authors
Becker, Catherina G., Becker, Thomas
Keywords
axon regrowth, optic projection, retinal ganglion cell
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Axons/physiology*
  • Fishes/physiology*
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Nerve Regeneration/physiology*
  • Optic Nerve/physiopathology*
  • Optic Nerve Injuries/pathology*
  • Optic Nerve Injuries/physiopathology
  • Retinal Ganglion Cells/pathology
PubMed
17131420 Full text @ J. Neurosci. Res.
Abstract
In contrast to mammals, teleost fish are able to regrow severed long-range projection axons in the central nervous system (CNS), leading to recovery of function. The optic projection in teleost fish is used to study neuron-intrinsic and environmental molecular factors that determine successful axon regrowth and navigation through a complex CNS pathway back to original targets. Here we review evidence for regeneration-specific regulation and robust expression of growth- and pathfinding-associated genes in regenerating retinal ganglion cell (RGC) axons of adult fish. The environment of the CNS in fish appears to contain few inhibitory molecules and at the same time a number of promoting molecules for axon regrowth. Finally, some environmental cues that are used as guidance cues for developing RGC axons are also present in continuously growing adult animals. These molecules may serve as guidance cues for the precise navigation of axons from newly generated RGCs in adult animals as well as of regenerating RGC axons after a lesion. The application of new molecular techniques especially to adult zebrafish, is likely to produce new insights into successful axonal regeneration in the CNS of fish and the absence thereof in mammals.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping