PUBLICATION

Motor Behavior Mediated by Continuously Generated Dopaminergic Neurons in the Zebrafish Hypothalamus Recovers after Cell Ablation

Authors
McPherson, A.D., Barrios, J.P., Luks-Morgan, S.J., Manfredi, J.P., Bonkowsky, J.L., Douglass, A.D., Dorsky, R.I.
ID
ZDB-PUB-160118-1
Date
2016
Source
Current biology : CB   26(2): 263-9 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Bonkowsky, Joshua, Dorsky, Richard, McPherson, Adam D.
Keywords
none
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Animals, Genetically Modified
  • Behavior, Animal/physiology
  • Dopamine/metabolism
  • Dopaminergic Neurons/metabolism*
  • Hypothalamus/metabolism*
  • Motor Activity/physiology*
  • Neurogenesis/physiology*
  • Zebrafish/genetics
  • Zebrafish/metabolism*
  • Zebrafish Proteins/metabolism*
PubMed
26774784 Full text @ Curr. Biol.
Abstract
Postembryonic neurogenesis has been observed in several regions of the vertebrate brain, including the dentate gyrus and rostral migratory stream in mammals, and is required for normal behavior [1-3]. Recently, the hypothalamus has also been shown to undergo continuous neurogenesis as a way to mediate energy balance [4-10]. As the hypothalamus regulates multiple functional outputs, it is likely that additional behaviors may be affected by postembryonic neurogenesis in this brain structure. Here, we have identified a progenitor population in the zebrafish hypothalamus that continuously generates neurons that express tyrosine hydroxylase 2 (th2). We develop and use novel transgenic tools to characterize the lineage of th2(+) cells and demonstrate that they are dopaminergic. Through genetic ablation and optogenetic activation, we then show that th2(+) neurons modulate the initiation of swimming behavior in zebrafish larvae. Finally, we find that the generation of new th2(+) neurons following ablation correlates with restoration of normal behavior. This work thus identifies for the first time a population of dopaminergic neurons that regulates motor behavior capable of functional recovery.
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Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
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Mapping