title: Fezf1 is required for penetration of the basal lamina by olfactory axons to promote olfactory development.
abstract: In the development of the olfactory system, olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) project their axons from the olfactory epithelium (OE) to the olfactory bulb (OB). The surface of the OB is covered by the central nervous system (CNS) basal lamina. To establish this connection, pioneer axons of the ORNs penetrate the CNS basal lamina at embryonic day 12.5 in mice. The importance of this penetration is highlighted by the Kallmann syndrome. However, little has been known about the molecular mechanism underlying this penetration process. Fezf1 (also called as Fez, Zfp312-like, and 3110069A13Rik) is a C2H2-type zinc-finger gene expressed in the OE and hypothalamic region in mice. In Fezf1-deficient mice, ORN axons (olfactory axons) do not reach the OB. Here we demonstrate that Fezf1-deficient olfactory axons do not penetrate the CNS basal lamina in vivo, and the penetration activity of the axons in Matrigel is impaired in vitro. Coculture experiments using the OE and OB reveal that axonal projection of ORNs is rescued in Fezf1-deficient mice in which the meninges including the CNS basal lamina are removed from the mutant OB. These data indicate that Fezf1 is required for the penetration of olfactory axons through the CNS basal lamina before they innervate the OB.
authors.affiliation: Osaka Bioscience Institute, Suita, Osaka 565-0874, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuhito
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Kiyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Ayako
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Okuyama-Yamamoto
authors.forename: Nobuhiro
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nakai
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nakatani
authors.forename: Ken-Ichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nibu
authors.forename: Naoko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Yasuhiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Iiboshi
authors.forename: Kosuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yusa
authors.forename: Gen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kondoh
authors.forename: Junji
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Takeda
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Terashima
authors.forename: Toru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takumi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001369:Axons / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D007797:Laminin / Q000378:metabolism; D008578:Meninges / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009830:Olfactory Bulb / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development; D009831:Olfactory Mucosa / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development; D009833:Olfactory Pathways / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development; D018034:Olfactory Receptor Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000378:metabolism; D012903:Smell
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D004338:Drug Combinations; D007797:Laminin; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D011509:Proteoglycans; C412364:Zfp312 protein, mouse; C059485:matrigel; D003094:Collagen