PUBLICATION

Neural connections of the pretectum in zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Authors
Yáñez, J., Suárez, T., Quelle, A., Folgueira, M., Anadón, R.
ID
ZDB-PUB-180103-4
Date
2018
Source
The Journal of comparative neurology   526(6): 1017-1040 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Folgueira Otero, Monica
Keywords
cerebellum, cyprinids, horizontal commissure, hypothalamus, mammillary nucleus, optic tectum, pretectum, telencephalon
MeSH Terms
  • Amino Acids/metabolism
  • Animals
  • Female
  • Male
  • Nerve Net/physiology*
  • Neural Pathways/physiology*
  • Neurons/physiology*
  • Pretectal Region/cytology*
  • Zebrafish/anatomy & histology*
PubMed
29292495 Full text @ J. Comp. Neurol.
Abstract
The pretectum is a complex region of the caudal diencephalon which in adult zebrafish comprises both retinorecipient (parvocellular superficial, central, intercalated, paracommissural and periventricular) and non-retinorecipient (magnocellular superficial, posterior and accessory) pretectal nuclei distributed from periventricular to superficial regions. We conducted a comprehensive study of the connections of pretectal nuclei by using neuronal tracing with fluorescent carbocyanine dyes. This study reveals specialization of efferent connections of the various pretectal nuclei, with nuclei projecting to the optic tectum (paracommissural, central and periventricular pretectal nuclei), the torus longitudinalis and the cerebellar corpus (paracommissural, central and intercalated pretectal nuclei), the lateral hypothalamus (magnocellular superficial, posterior and central pretectal nuclei), and the tegmental regions (accessory and superficial pretectal nuclei). With regard to major central afferents to the pretectum, we observed projections from the telencephalon to the paracommissural and central pretectal nuclei, from the optic tectum to the paracommissural, central, accessory and parvocellular superficial pretectal nuclei, from the cerebellum to the paracommissural and periventricular pretectal nuclei and from the nucleus isthmi to the parvocellular superficial and accessory pretectal nuclei. The parvocellular superficial pretectal nucleus sends conspicuous projections to the contralateral magnocellular superficial pretectal nucleus. The composite figure of results reveals large differences in connections of neighbor pretectal nuclei, indicating high degree of nuclear specialization. Our results will have important bearings in functional studies that analyze the relationship between specific circuits and behaviors in zebrafish. Comparison with results available in other species also reveals differences in the organization and connections of the pretectum in vertebrates. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Genes / Markers
Figures
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Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
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Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping