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Published on: June 25, 2019
Localized expression of urocortin genes in the developing zebrafish brain
Lars Bräutigam1, Janine M Hillmer, Iris Söll
1Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, S-14157 Huddinge, Sweden.
The Journal of Comparative Neurology
|June 10, 2010
Summary
Zebrafish urotensin 1 (UTS1) and UCN3 are expressed in the brainstem, suggesting roles in stress and motor control. Their maternal contribution and embryonic development expression are detailed.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- The corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) family includes CRH and urocortins (UCNs) 1, 2, and 3.
- Previous work characterized CRH in zebrafish embryos.
- This study focuses on zebrafish urotensin 1 (UTS1) and UCN3.
Purpose of the Study:
- Describe full-length cDNAs for zebrafish UTS1 and UCN3.
- Analyze the expression patterns of uts1 and ucn3 in adult and embryonic zebrafish.
- Investigate the spatial distribution of uts1 and ucn3 transcripts during development.
Main Methods:
- RT-PCR analysis for mRNA detection.
- Whole-mount in situ hybridization for spatial transcript distribution.
- Full-length cDNA sequencing.
Main Results:
- Zebrafish uts1 is expressed in the caudal neurosecretory system, brain, ovary, and embryo.
- Zebrafish ucn3 is expressed in various adult tissues and from 24 hours post-fertilization onward.
- Both uts1 and ucn3 show limited forebrain expression but prominent brainstem localization in embryos, including specific neuronal populations like Mauthner neurons and serotonergic raphe cells.
Conclusions:
- UTS1 and UCN3 are maternally provided and expressed throughout zebrafish development.
- Prominent brainstem expression of UTS1 and UCN3 supports their roles in stress-induced modulation of locomotor activity via monoaminergic systems.
