Neuroscience and Neurobiology Commons^™

Characterizing The Diverse Cells That Associate With The Developing Commissures Of The Zebrafish Forebrain, Jake Schnabl, M.P.H Litz, Caitlin Schneider, N. Penkofflidbeck, Sarah Bashiruddin, M. S. Schwartz, Kristin Alligood, Michael Barresi

Zebrafish Forebrain Cellular Characterization

During embryonic development of bilateral organisms, neurons send axons across the midline at specific points to connect the two halves of the nervous system with a commissure. Little is known about the cells at the midline that facilitate this tightly regulated process. We exploit the con served process of vertebrate embryonic development in the zebrafish model system to elucidate the identity of cells at the midline that may facilitate postoptic (POC) and anterior commissure (AC) development. We have discovered that three differentgfap+ astroglial cell morphologies persist in contact with pathfinding axons throughout commissure formation. Similarly, olig2+ progenitor cells occupy delineated …