Significance of F3/Contactin gene expression in cerebral cortex and nigrostriatal development
Abstract
F3/Contactin is a neuronal surface glycoprotein, which plays a general role in neural development and, in particular, in neuronal and oligodendrocyte differentiation. In a previous study using the F3/EGFP transgenic mice, which express an EGFP reporter under control of the regulatory region from the mouse F3/Contactin gene, the activation of the F3/Contactin promoter was found to correlate with granule and Purkinje neuron differentiation in developing cerebellar cortex. Here we report that in developing cerebral cortex and basal ganglia the F3/Contactin gene is mostly activated during early commitment of neuronal precursors, thus indicating a region-specific profile of its developmental activation. We also report that, in the same structures of F3/EGFP mice, a downregulation of the endogenous F3/Contactin gene occurs, which correlates with upregulation of the dopaminergic phenotype and with locomotor pattern abnormalities. Therefore, F3/EGFP transgenic mice exhibit morphological and functional phenotypes recapitulating those arising from imbalance of the striatal dopaminergic pathway. As for the underlying mechanisms, we postulate that in F3/EGFP mice F3/Contactin downregulation results from the ability of transgene promoter se...Continue Reading
References
Spatiotemporal heterogeneity of CNS radial glial cells and their transition to restricted precursors
Receptor fingerprinting the circling ci2 rat mutant: insights into brain asymmetry and motor control
Citations
Related Concepts
Related Feeds
Basal Ganglia
Basal Ganglia are a group of subcortical nuclei in the brain associated with control of voluntary motor movements, procedural and habit learning, emotion, and cognition. Here is the latest research.
Brain developing: Influences & Outcomes
This feed focuses on influences that affect the developing brain including genetics, fetal development, prenatal care, and gene-environment interactions. Here is the latest research in this field.