Cortical Neurons Require Otx1 for the Refinement of Exuberant Axonal Projections to Subcortical Targets

Information processing in the nervous system depends on the creation of specific synaptic connections between neurons and targets during development. The homeodomain transcription factor Otx1 is expressed in early-generated neurons of the developing cerebral cortex. Within layer 5, Otx1 is expressed...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Neuron (Cambridge, Mass.) Mass.), 1999-12, Vol.24 (4), p.819-831
Main Authors: Weimann, James M, Zhang, Y.Alex, Levin, Margaret E, Devine, W.Patrick, Brûlet, Philippe, McConnell, Susan K
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Antibodies, Monoclonal
Autoradiography
Axons - physiology
Cell Differentiation - genetics
Cell Differentiation - physiology
Cerebral Cortex - cytology
Cerebral Cortex - growth & development
Cerebral Cortex - physiology
Corpus Callosum - anatomy & histology
Corpus Callosum - growth & development
Homeodomain Proteins
In Situ Hybridization
Inferior Colliculi - anatomy & histology
Inferior Colliculi - growth & development
Mice
Mice, Mutant Strains
Nerve Tissue Proteins - genetics
Nerve Tissue Proteins - physiology
Neural Pathways - cytology
Neural Pathways - growth & development
Neural Pathways - physiology
Neurons - physiology
Otx Transcription Factors
Otx1 protein
Rats
Rats, Long-Evans
Thalamus - anatomy & histology
Thalamus - growth & development
Transcription Factors
Visual Cortex - anatomy & histology
Visual Cortex - growth & development
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Summary:Information processing in the nervous system depends on the creation of specific synaptic connections between neurons and targets during development. The homeodomain transcription factor Otx1 is expressed in early-generated neurons of the developing cerebral cortex. Within layer 5, Otx1 is expressed by neurons with subcortical axonal projections to the midbrain and spinal cord. Otx1 is also expressed in the precursors of these neurons, but is localized to the cytoplasm. Nuclear translocation of Otx1 occurs when layer 5 neurons enter a period of axonal refinement and eliminate a subset of their long-distance projections. Otx1 mutant mice are defective in the refinement of these exuberant projections, suggesting that Otx1 is required for the development of normal axonal connectivity and the generation of coordinated motor behavior.
ISSN:0896-6273
1097-4199
DOI:10.1016/S0896-6273(00)81030-2