PUBLICATION

Axonal regrowth after spinal cord transection in adult zebrafish

Authors
Becker, T., Wullimann, M.F., Becker, C.G., Bernhardt, R.R., and Schachner, M.
ID
ZDB-PUB-970218-12
Date
1997
Source
The Journal of comparative neurology   377(4): 577-595 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Becker, Catherina G., Becker, Thomas, Bernhardt, Robert, Schachner, Melitta, Wullimann, Mario F.
Keywords
cell death; CNS regeneration; teleost; Mauthner cell; ascending fibers
MeSH Terms
  • Afferent Pathways/physiology
  • Animals
  • Axons/physiology*
  • Brain/physiology*
  • Cell Survival/physiology
  • Cerebellum/physiology
  • Mesencephalon/physiology
  • Nerve Endings/physiology
  • Nerve Regeneration/physiology*
  • Neural Pathways/physiology
  • Neurons/physiology
  • Neurons/ultrastructure
  • Spinal Cord/physiology*
  • Swimming/physiology
  • Zebrafish/physiology*
PubMed
9007194 Full text @ J. Comp. Neurol.
Abstract
Using axonal tracers, we characterized the neurons projectingfrom the brain to the spinal cord as well as the terminalfields of ascending spinal projections in the brain of adultzebrafish with unlesioned or transected spinal cords.Twenty distinct brain nuclei were found to project to thespinal cord. These nuclei were similar to those found in theclosely related goldfish, except that additionally theparvocellular preoptic nucleus, the medial octavolateralisnucleus, and the nucleus tangentialis, but not the facial lobe,projected to the spinal cord in zebrafish. Terminalfields of axons, visualized by anterograde tracing, were seenin the telencephalon, the diencephalon, the torussemicircularis, the optic tectum, the eminentia granularis, andthroughout the ventral brainstem in unlesioned animals.Following spinal cord transection at a level approximately 3.5mm caudal to the brainstem/spinal cord transition zone, neuronsin most brain nuclei grew axons beyond the transection siteinto the distal spinal cord to the level of retrograde tracerapplication within 6 weeks. However, the individuallyidentifiable Mauthner cells were never seen to do so up to 15weeks after spinal cord transection. Nearly all neuronssurvived axotomy, and the vast majority of axons that had grownbeyond the transection site belonged to previously axotomizedneurons as shown by double tracing. Terminal fields were notre-established in the torus semicircularis and the eminentiagranularis following spinal cord transection.
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