PUBLICATION

Neurochemical coding of enteric neurons in adult and embryonic zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Authors
Uyttebroek, L., Shepherd, I.T., Harrisson, F., Hubens, G., Blust, R., Timmermans, J.P., and Van Nassauw, L.
ID
ZDB-PUB-101004-23
Date
2010
Source
The Journal of comparative neurology   518(21): 4419-4438 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Shepherd, Iain T., Uyttebroek, Leen
Keywords
zebrafish, enteric neurons, neurochemical coding
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Biomarkers/metabolism
  • Calbindin 2
  • Calbindins
  • Choline O-Acetyltransferase/metabolism
  • Enteric Nervous System/cytology*
  • Humans
  • Intestine, Small/innervation
  • Neurons/chemistry*
  • Neurons/cytology
  • Neurons/metabolism*
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I/metabolism
  • Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide/metabolism
  • S100 Calcium Binding Protein G/metabolism
  • Serotonin/metabolism
  • Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase/metabolism
  • Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide/metabolism
  • Zebrafish*/anatomy & histology
  • Zebrafish*/embryology
  • Zebrafish Proteins/metabolism*
PubMed
20853514 Full text @ J. Comp. Neurol.
Abstract
Although the morphology and development of the zebrafish enteric nervous system have been extensively studied, the precise neurochemical coding of enteric neurons and their proportional enteric distribution are currently not known. By using immunohistochemistry, we determined the proportional expression and coexpression of neurochemical markers in the embryonic and adult zebrafish intestine. Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), and pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide (PACAP) were observed only in nerve fibers, whereas other markers were also detected in neuronal cell bodies. Calretinin and calbindin had similar distributions. In embryos, all markers, except for choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and TH, were present from 72 hours postfertilization. Nitrergic neurons, evenly distributed and remaining constant in time, constituted the major neuronal subpopulation. The neuronal proportions of the other markers increased during development and were characterized by regional differences. In the adult, all markers examined were expressed in the enteric nervous system. A large percentage of enteric neurons displayed calbindin and calretinin, and serotonin was the only marker showing significant distribution differences in the three intestinal regions. Colocalization studies showed that serotonin was not coexpressed with any of the other markers. At least five neuronal subpopulations were determined: a serotonergic, a nitrergic noncholinergic, two cholinergic nonnitrergic subpopulations along with one subpopulation expressing both ChAT and neuronal nitric oxide synthase. Analysis of nerve fibers revealed that nitrergic neurons coexpress VIP and PACAP, and that nitrergic neurons innervate the tunica muscularis, whereas serotonergic and cholinergic nonnitrergic neurons innervate the lamina propria and the tunica muscularis.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping