The Journal of Neuroscience, July 1, 1999, 19(13):5370-5379
Selective Disruption of "Late Onset" Sagittal Banding
Patterns by Ectopic Expression of Engrailed-2 in Cerebellar Purkinje
Cells
Stephan L.
Baader1,
Michael W.
Vogel2,
Salih
Sanlioglu1,
Xulun
Zhang1, and
John
Oberdick1
1 Division of Neuroscience and the Neurobiotechnology
Center, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio
43210, and 2 Maryland Psychiatric Research Center,
University of Maryland Medical School, Baltimore, Maryland 21228
To explore the role of Engrailed proteins in development of the
cerebellum, Engrailed-2 (En-2) was ectopically expressed in cerebellar
Purkinje cells from the late embryonic stage into adulthood. The
fundamental organization of Purkinje cell sagittal zones as revealed by
the "early onset" markers L7-
-gal and cadherin-8 was found to be
virtually identical to that in wild type. In contrast, "late
onset" sagittal banding patterns revealed by Purkinje cell markers
zebrin I, zebrin II, and 9-O-acetyl GD3
Ganglioside (P-Path), and the granule cell marker NADPH-diaphorase,
were disrupted. In general, although some evidence of banding was still
detectable, boundaries defined by the latter markers were poorly
defined, and the patterns overall took on a diffuse appearance. In
parallel with the changes in late onset markers, anterograde tracing of spinocerebellar axons revealed a general diffusion of the mossy fiber
projection pattern in lobule VIII and the anterior lobe. These
observations suggest that at least two separate mediolateral boundary
systems exist in the cerebellum, and these are differentially affected
by ectopic En-2 expression. Alternatively, one boundary system exists
that remains primarily intact in the mutant, but recognition of this
system by a set of late developmental events is perturbed.
Key words:
mouse; cerebellum; Purkinje cell; Engrailed-2; mossy
fibers; pcp-2(L7); cadherin; zebrin; NOS
Copyright © 1999 Society for Neuroscience 0270-6474/99/19135370-10$05.00/0
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