 |
Previous Article | Next Article 
The Journal of Neuroscience, May 15, 2001, 21(10):3542-3548
Analysis of the Activity-Deprived Zebrafish Mutant
macho Reveals an Essential Requirement of Neuronal
Activity for the Development of a Fine-Grained Visuotopic Map
Lara
Gnuegge1,
Susanne
Schmid2, and
Stephan C. F.
Neuhauss1
1 Max-Planck-Institut für Entwicklungsbiologie,
72076 Tübingen, Germany, and 2 Zoologisches Institut,
Universität Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
The formation of a retinotopic map is thought to involve an
activity-independent molecular phase for early steps of both axon pathfinding and projection and a later phase in which cross talk between retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and tectal neurons modifies and
refines the neuronal connections. We report that the maturation of the
retinotopic map in the zebrafish tectum involves activity-dependent processes. Zebrafish larvae mutant for the gene macho
(mao) lack neuronal activity in RGCs and also display an
enlarged retinotectal projection field but no significant increase in
single axon length. This morphological defect can be phenocopied by
raising larvae under TTX-induced neural impulse blockade. The effect of
activity deprivation is dependent on the developmental stage. The
projection phenotype in mao as well as in the
TTX-treated larvae develops between 4 and 6 d post-fertilization
(dpf), after complete tectal coverage is first achieved.
Electrophysiological recordings of RGCs in wild-type and
mao zebrafish larvae reveal a temporally regulated
reduction of sodium current in the mutant between 5 and 6 dpf. This
coincides with the time of the axonal projection shifting on the tectum
to compensate for the disparate growth patterns of the retina and the
tectum. Our genetic and physiological analyses suggest a model in which
neuronal activity in RGCs is needed for the establishment of
morphological plasticity.
Key words:
visual system; retinotectal projection; sodium currents; zebrafish; axon guidance; plasticity; Danio rerio; retinal
ganglion cell; TTX
Copyright © 2001 Society for Neuroscience 0270-6474/01/21103542-07$05.00/0
This article has been cited by other articles:

|
 |

|
 |
 
S. Crisp, J. F. Evers, A. Fiala, and M. Bate
The development of motor coordination in Drosophila embryos
Development,
November 15, 2008;
135(22):
3707 - 3717.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
D. Willshaw
Analysis of mouse EphA knockins and knockouts suggests that retinal axons programme target cells to form ordered retinotopic maps
Development,
July 15, 2006;
133(14):
2705 - 2717.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
T. D. Mrsic-Flogel, S. B. Hofer, C. Creutzfeldt, I. Cloez-Tayarani, J.-P. Changeux, T. Bonhoeffer, and M. Hubener
Altered Map of Visual Space in the Superior Colliculus of Mice Lacking Early Retinal Waves
J. Neurosci.,
July 20, 2005;
25(29):
6921 - 6928.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
W. J. Moody and M. M. Bosma
Ion Channel Development, Spontaneous Activity, and Activity-Dependent Development in Nerve and Muscle Cells
Physiol Rev,
July 1, 2005;
85(3):
883 - 941.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
R. H. Pineda, R. A. Heiser, and A. B. Ribera
Developmental, Molecular, and Genetic Dissection of INa In Vivo in Embryonic Zebrafish Sensory Neurons
J Neurophysiol,
June 1, 2005;
93(6):
3582 - 3593.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
E. S. Ruthazer, C. J. Akerman, and H. T. Cline
Control of Axon Branch Dynamics by Correlated Activity in Vivo
Science,
July 4, 2003;
301(5629):
66 - 70.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
T. Roeser and H. Baier
Visuomotor Behaviors in Larval Zebrafish after GFP-Guided Laser Ablation of the Optic Tectum
J. Neurosci.,
May 1, 2003;
23(9):
3726 - 3734.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
H. Tokuoka, T. Yoshida, N. Matsuda, and M. Mishina
Regulation by Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3beta of the Arborization Field and Maturation of Retinotectal Projection in Zebrafish
J. Neurosci.,
December 1, 2002;
22(23):
10324 - 10332.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
S. Cohen-Cory
The Developing Synapse: Construction and Modulation of Synaptic Structures and Circuits
Science,
October 25, 2002;
298(5594):
770 - 776.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|
|