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Interactions with identified muscle cells break motoneuron equivalence in embryonic zebrafish

Nature Neuroscience volume 4, pages 1065–1070 (2001)Cite this article

Abstract

Two zebrafish motoneurons, CaP and VaP, are initially developmentally equivalent; later, CaP innervates ventral muscle, whereas VaP dies. Current models suggest that vertebrate motoneuron death results from failure to compete for limited, target-derived trophic support. In contrast, we provide evidence that zebrafish ventral muscle can support both CaP and VaP survival. However, VaP's growth cone is prevented from extending into ventral muscle by CaP-dependent interactions with identified muscle fibers, the muscle pioneers; this interaction breaks the initial equivalence of CaP and VaP. Thus, the processes mediating VaP death are more complex than failure to compete for trophic support, and may be important for correct spatial patterning.

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Figure 1: Ventral muscle can support two CaPs.
Figure 2: Both CaP and VaP extend axons into ventral muscle and survive after MP ablation and in mutants lacking MPs.
Figure 3: Diagrammatic representation of the effect of CaP and VaP somata juxtaposition on VaP survival.
Figure 4: Two MiPs divide the dorsal innervation territory.
Figure 5: Model of interactions between CaP, MPs and VaP.

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Acknowledgements

Special thanks to B. Eisen. We thank M. Westerfield, C. Kimmel and D. Armstrong for discussions and comments on the manuscript and the University of Oregon Zebrafish Facility staff for animal husbandry. Supported by NIH NS23915 and HD22486. Renovation and expansion of the University of Oregon Zebrafish Facility supported by NIH RR11724, NSF 9602828, the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust and the W.M. Keck Foundation.

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  1. Institute of Neuroscience, 1254 University of Oregon, Eugene, 97403-1254, Oregon, USA

    J. S. Eisen & E. Melançon

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Correspondence to J. S. Eisen.

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Eisen, J., Melançon, E. Interactions with identified muscle cells break motoneuron equivalence in embryonic zebrafish. Nat Neurosci 4, 1065–1070 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/nn742

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