Domain-specific olivocerebellar projection regulated by the EphA-ephrin-A interaction

Development. 2002 Dec;129(24):5647-58. doi: 10.1242/dev.00162.

Abstract

Neural maps in the vertebrate central nervous system often show discontinuously segregated, domain-to-domain patterns. However, the molecular mechanism that establishes such maps is not well understood. Here we show that in the chicken olivocerebellar system, EphA receptors and ephrin-As are expressed with distinct levels and combinations in mapping domains. When ephrin-A2 is retrovirally overexpressed in the cerebellum, the olivocerebellar map is disrupted, excluding axons with high receptor activity from ectopic expression domains. Conversely, overexpression of a truncated EphA3 receptor in the cerebellum reduces endogenous ligand activity to undetectable levels and causes aberrant mapping, with high receptor axons invading high ligand domains. In vitro, ephrin-A2 inhibits outgrowth of inferior olive axons in a region-specific manner. These results suggest that Eph receptors and ephrins constitute domain-specific positional information, and the spatially accurate receptor-ligand interaction is essential to guide inferior olive axons to their correct target domains.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Axons
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Membrane
  • Central Nervous System / embryology
  • Cerebellum / metabolism
  • Chickens
  • Humans
  • In Situ Hybridization
  • Ligands
  • Models, Biological
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Purkinje Cells / metabolism
  • Receptor, EphA2 / metabolism*
  • Receptor, EphA3 / biosynthesis
  • Receptor, EphA3 / metabolism*
  • Receptors, Eph Family / metabolism*
  • Retroviridae / genetics
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Ligands
  • Receptor, EphA2
  • Receptor, EphA3
  • Receptors, Eph Family