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Volume 16, Number 17,
Issue of September 1, 1996
pp. 5498-5509
Copyright ©1996 Society for Neuroscience
Retroviral Misexpression of engrailed Genes in the
Chick Optic Tectum Perturbs the Topographic Targeting of Retinal
Axons
Received Jan. 22, 1996; revised May 31, 1996; accepted June 7, 1996.
Glenn C. Friedman and
Dennis D. M. O'Leary
Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, The Salk Institute, La Jolla,
California 92037
We have investigated the role of the homeodomain transcription
factor genes En-1 and En-2, homologs of
the Drosophila segment polarity gene
engrailed, in regulating the development of the
retinotopic map in the chick optic tectum. The En proteins are
distributed in a gradient along the rostral-caudal axis of the
developing tectum, with highest amounts found caudally. Previous
evidence suggests that En-1 and En-2 may regulate the polarity of the
rostral-caudal axis of the tectum and the subsequent topographic
mapping of retinal axons. We have tested this hypothesis by using a
recombinant replication-competent retrovirus to overexpress the
En-1 or En-2 genes in the developing
tectum. Anterograde labeling with the axon tracer DiI was used to
analyze the topographic mapping of retinal axons after the time that
the retinotectal projection is normally topographically organized.
Overexpression of either En-1 or En-2
perturbed the topographic targeting of retinal axons. In
En-infected tecta, nasal retinal axons form an
abnormally diffuse projection with numerous aberrant axons, branches,
and arbors found at topographically incorrect locations, colocalized
with domains of viral infection. In contrast, temporal axons did not
form a diffuse projection or discrete aberrant arbors; however, many
temporal axons were stunted and ended aberrantly rostral to their
appropriate TZ, or in other cases either did not enter the tectum or
formed a dense termination at its extreme rostral edge. These findings
indicate that En-1 and En-2 are involved in regulating the development
of the retinotopic map in the tectum. Furthermore, they support the
hypothesis that En genes regulate the polarity of the
rostral-caudal axis of the tectum, most likely by controlling the
expression of retinal axon guidance molecules.
Key words:
axonal guidance;
gene transfer;
homeobox;
neural maps;
recombinant retrovirus;
retinotectal;
transcription
factors;
visual system development
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