PUBLICATION

BMP Signaling Interferes with Optic Chiasm Formation and Retinal Ganglion Cell Pathfinding in Zebrafish

Authors
Knickmeyer, M.D., Mateo, J.L., Heermann, S.
ID
ZDB-PUB-210501-41
Date
2021
Source
International Journal of Molecular Sciences   22(9): (Journal)
Registered Authors
Heermann, Stephan
Keywords
BMP, RGC axons, chiasm, midline, shh, zebrafish
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Axons/metabolism
  • Bone Morphogenetic Proteins/metabolism*
  • Bone Morphogenetic Proteins/physiology
  • Optic Chiasm/embryology*
  • Optic Chiasm/metabolism
  • Optic Chiasm/physiology
  • Optic Nerve/physiology
  • Retina/metabolism
  • Retinal Ganglion Cells/metabolism*
  • Retinal Ganglion Cells/physiology
  • Visual Pathways/physiology
  • Zebrafish/metabolism
  • Zebrafish Proteins/metabolism
PubMed
33925390 Full text @ Int. J. Mol. Sci.
Abstract
Decussation of axonal tracts is an important hallmark of vertebrate neuroanatomy resulting in one brain hemisphere controlling the contralateral side of the body and also computing the sensory information originating from that respective side. Here, we show that BMP interferes with optic chiasm formation and RGC pathfinding in zebrafish. Experimental induction of BMP4 at 15 hpf results in a complete ipsilateral projection of RGC axons and failure of commissural connections of the forebrain, in part as the result of an interaction with shh signaling, transcriptional regulation of midline guidance cues and an affected optic stalk morphogenesis. Experimental induction of BMP4 at 24 hpf, resulting in only a mild repression of forebrain shh ligand expression but in a broad expression of pax2a in the diencephalon, does not per se prevent RGC axons from crossing the midline. It nevertheless shows severe pathologies of RGC projections e.g., the fasciculation of RGC axons with the ipsilateral optic tract resulting in the innervation of one tectum by two eyes or the projection of RGC axons in the direction of the contralateral eye.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Show all Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping