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Author Spotlight: In Vivo Whole-Brain Imaging of Zebrafish Larvae Using Three-Dimensional Fluorescence Microscopy
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Wnt3 distribution in the zebrafish brain is determined by expression, diffusion and multiple molecular interactions
Sapthaswaran Veerapathiran1,2, Cathleen Teh1,2, Shiwen Zhu1,2
1Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
Elife
|November 25, 2020
Summary
Lipid-modified Wnt3 proteins are essential for zebrafish brain development. This study reveals Wnt3 spreads extracellularly via diffusion, modulated by heparan sulfate proteoglycans and Lrp5-mediated receptor binding, enabling long-range signaling.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Cell Signaling
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Wnt3 proteins are crucial for neural patterning and brain development in zebrafish.
- The extracellular transport mechanism of lipid-modified Wnt3 for long-range signaling is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the long-range distribution mechanism of Wnt3 in the zebrafish brain.
- To characterize the interactions governing Wnt3 transport and receptor binding.
Main Methods:
- Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) were used to analyze Wnt3 mobility.
- Characterization of Wnt3-producing sources and target regions.
- Fluorescence cross-correlation spectroscopy (FCCS) to determine binding affinity.
Main Results:
- Wnt3 undergoes extracellular diffusion, influenced by tissue morphology.
- Wnt3 interacts with heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPG).
- Low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 5 (Lrp5) is essential for Wnt3-Frizzled1 (Fzd1) receptor interaction.
Conclusions:
- Wnt3 distribution is a diffusive process modified by tissue architecture and HSPG interactions.
- Lrp5-mediated receptor binding is critical for Wnt3 signaling in zebrafish brain development.
