Role of the target in the pathfinding of facial visceral motor axons.
Axon navigation depends, in part, on guidance cues emanating from the target. We have investigated the possible role of the target in the pathfinding of visceral motor axons to cranial parasympathetic ganglia. Mice homozygous for a tau-LacZ transgene targeted in the Phox2a locus lack the sphenopalatine ganglion, which is the normal target of visceral motor axons of the facial nerve. We found that in these mutants, facial visceral motor axon pathfinding was disrupted, and some axons were misrouted to an alternative parasympathetic ganglion. Moreover, the absence of correct facial visceral motor pathways was concomitant with defects in the pathfinding of rostrally-projecting sympathetic axons.
Jacob
J
J
MRC Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, King's College, Guy's Campus, 4th Floor New Hunt's House, London, SE1 9RT, United Kingdom.
Tiveron
M C
MC
Brunet
J F
JF
Guthrie
S
S
D000818:Animals; D017776:Autonomic Pathways / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000166:cytology*; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D002828:Choristoma / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005145:Face / Q000196:embryology / Q000294:innervation; D005154:Facial Nerve / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000166:cytology*; D005726:Ganglia, Parasympathetic / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D017783:Superior Cervical Ganglion / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics; D019076:Transgenes; D017833:Visceral Afferents / Q000166:cytology* / Q000196:embryology
D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C499317:Ascl1 protein, mouse; C491061:PHOX2A protein, human; C491060:Phox2a protein, mouse