title: Masking in waved-2 mice: EGF receptor control of locomotion questioned.
abstract: It has been suggested that epidermal growth factors (EGF) are responsible for the inhibition of locomotion by light (i.e., masking) in nocturnal rodents (Kramer et al., 2001). The poor masking response of waved-2 (Egfr(wa2)) mutant mice, with reduced EGF receptor activity, was adduced in support of this idea. In the present work, we studied the responses to light over a large range in illumination levels, in a variety of tests, with pulses of light and with ultradian light-dark cycles in Egfr(wa2) mutant mice. No evidence suggested that normal functioning of epidermal growth factor receptors was required, or even involved, in masking.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. mro@zoo.utoronto.ca
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mrosovsky
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Redlin
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Threadgill
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000235:genetics; D017931:DNA Primers; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000235:genetics*; D008029:Lighting; D051379:Mice; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D066246:ErbB Receptors