Fibronectin and Laminin, extracellular matrix proteins, have an origin in mesoderm tissue and promote anterior neural tube closure in zebrafish
2023-05
Loading...
View/Download File
Persistent link to this item
Statistics
View StatisticsJournal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Title
Fibronectin and Laminin, extracellular matrix proteins, have an origin in mesoderm tissue and promote anterior neural tube closure in zebrafish
Authors
Published Date
2023-05
Publisher
Type
Thesis or Dissertation
Abstract
The neural tube, the precursor to the vertebrate central nervous system, forms through the process of neurulation. During neurulation, a flat neural plate folds and the lateral edges bind to form a closed tube. Failure of neurulation results in neural tube defects (NTD). In humans, NTD causes life-threatening birth defects such as anencephaly, spina bifida, and craniorachischisis. Work from several laboratories has demonstrated that mesoderm is required for anterior neural tube closure in mice and zebrafish. In all vertebrates, there is an extracellular matrix between the mesoderm and the developing neural tube. I hypothesized Fibronectin (Fn) and Laminin (Lam), extracellular matrix proteins, have an origin in mesoderm tissue and promote anterior neural tube closure. Supporting my hypothesis, the mRNA for extracellular matrix genes lama1, lama2, lamb1a, lamc1, fn1a, and fn1b were all expressed in mesoderm tissue adjacent to the developing neural tube. Further, expression of these lam and fn genes in the mesoderm occurred during neurulation. This suggests that one role of mesoderm in neural tube closure is to contribute to the extracellular matrix that surrounds the developing neural tube. Consistent with this and supporting my hypothesis, an extracellular matrix is required for neural tube closure in zebrafish. Loss of either lamc1 or fn1a alone resulted in a closed anterior neural tube. In contrast, approximately 50% of lamc1 ; fn1a double mutants had an open forebrain neural tube. In the midbrain, some of the embryos deficient in lamc1 ; fn1a had a double roof plate phenotype. In the hindbrain of wildtype embryos, ephrin receptor A4a (ephA4a) is expressed in rhombomeres 1, 3, and 5. Interestingly, most lamc1 ; fn1a double mutants had ephA4a expression in all three rhombomeres, but a small subset displayed a “twisted brain” phenotype that is also present in embryos with severe loss of mesoderm and an open anterior neural tube. This project provides additional connections among the mesoderm, the extracellular matrix, and neurulation.
Description
University of Minnesota M.S. thesis. May 2023. Major: Integrated Biosciences. Advisor: Jennifer Liang. 1 computer file (PDF); ix, 105 pages.
Related to
Replaces
License
Series/Report Number
Funding information
Isbn identifier
Doi identifier
Previously Published Citation
Suggested citation
Olson, Kirsta. (2023). Fibronectin and Laminin, extracellular matrix proteins, have an origin in mesoderm tissue and promote anterior neural tube closure in zebrafish. Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, https://hdl.handle.net/11299/256946.
Content distributed via the University Digital Conservancy may be subject to additional license and use restrictions applied by the depositor. By using these files, users agree to the Terms of Use. Materials in the UDC may contain content that is disturbing and/or harmful. For more information, please see our statement on harmful content in digital repositories.