Related Experiment Videos
Engrailed, retinotectal targeting, and axonal patterning in the midbrain during Xenopus development: an antisense
S Rétaux1, L McNeill, W A Harris
1Department of Biology 0366, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093, USA.
Neuron
|January 1, 1996
Summary
Homeobox gene engrailed is crucial for midbrain axonal tract formation. Inhibiting engrailed disrupts the intertectal commissure, while optic projection errors are linked to bFGF interference.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Axonal tract formation in the vertebrate brain is guided by homeobox gene expression domains.
- The role of the engrailed gene in midbrain tract development requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the specific role of the engrailed gene in the formation of axonal tracts within the midbrain.
- To differentiate the effects of engrailed inhibition from potential off-target effects on bFGF binding.
Main Methods:
- Utilized antisense (AS) oligonucleotides to inhibit engrailed gene expression in the midbrain.
- Employed phosphorothioate-modified and partially phosphorothioate-modified oligos to assess specificity.
- Observed navigational errors in optic projection (OP) and intertectal commissure (ITC) tracts.
Main Results:
- Phosphorothioate-modified AS oligos induced navigational errors in both OP and ITC, but also inhibited bFGF binding.
- Partially phosphorothioate-modified oligos specifically inhibited engrailed expression without affecting bFGF binding.
- These specific oligos caused ITC phenotypes but did not affect the OP.
Conclusions:
- The intertectal commissure (ITC) phenotype is directly attributable to the inhibition of engrailed gene expression.
- Optic projection (OP) phenotypes are correlated with interference of bFGF function, not engrailed expression.