Abstract
Dorsal commissural axons in the developing spinal cord cross the floor plate, then turn rostrally and grow along the longitudinal axis, close to the floor plate. We used a subtractive hybridization approach to identify guidance cues responsible for the rostral turn in chicken embryos. One of the candidates was the morphogen Sonic hedgehog (Shh). Silencing of the gene SHH (which encodes Shh) by in ovo RNAi during commissural axon navigation demonstrated a repulsive role in post-commissural axon guidance. This effect of Shh was not mediated by Patched (Ptc) and Smoothened (Smo), the receptors that mediate effects of Shh in morphogenesis and commissural axon growth toward the floor plate. Rather, functional in vivo studies showed that the repulsive effect of Shh on postcommissural axons was mediated by Hedgehog interacting protein (Hip).
Publication types
-
Comparative Study
-
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
-
Age Factors
-
Animals
-
Axons / physiology*
-
Body Patterning / physiology*
-
Carbocyanines / metabolism
-
Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal / genetics
-
Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal / metabolism
-
Cell Line
-
Chick Embryo
-
Cloning, Molecular / methods
-
Diagnostic Imaging / methods
-
Embryo, Mammalian / cytology*
-
Embryo, Nonmammalian*
-
Embryonic Induction
-
Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / drug effects
-
Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / physiology
-
Hedgehog Proteins
-
Hybridomas
-
In Situ Hybridization / methods
-
In Vitro Techniques
-
Membrane Proteins / genetics
-
Membrane Proteins / metabolism
-
RNA, Antisense / pharmacology
-
RNA, Small Interfering
-
Spinal Cord / cytology*
-
Spinal Cord / embryology*
-
Trans-Activators / physiology*
-
Veratrum Alkaloids / pharmacology
Substances
-
3,3'-dihexadecylindocarbocyanine
-
Carbocyanines
-
Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal
-
Hedgehog Proteins
-
Membrane Proteins
-
RNA, Antisense
-
RNA, Small Interfering
-
Trans-Activators
-
Veratrum Alkaloids
-
cyclopamine