title: Transcription factor Foxd1 is required for the specification of the temporal retina in mammals.
abstract: The organization of the visual system is different in birds and mammals. In both, retinal axons project topographically to the visual targets in the brain; but whereas in birds visual fibers from the entire retina decussate at the optic chiasm, in mammals, a number of axons from the temporal retina diverge at the midline to project ipsilaterally. Gain-of-function experiments in chick raised the hypothesis that the transcription factor Foxd1 specifies retinal temporal identity. However, it remains unknown whether Foxd1 is necessary for this function. In mammals, the crucial role of Foxd1 in the patterning of the optic chiasm region has complicated the interpretation of its cell-autonomous function in the retina. Furthermore, target molecules identified for Foxd1 are different in chicks and mice, leading to question the function of Foxd1 in mammals. Here we show that in the mouse, Foxd1 imprints temporal features in the retina such as axonal ipsilaterality and rostral targeting in collicular areas and that EphA6 is a Foxd1 downstream effector that sends temporal axons to the rostral colliculus. In addition, our data support a model in which the desensitization of EphA6 by ephrinA5 in cis is not necessary for the proper functioning of EphA6. Overall, these results indicate that Foxd1 functions as a conserved determinant of temporal identity but reveal that the downstream effectors, and likely their mechanisms of action, are different in mammals and birds.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Neurociencias, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas y Universidad Miguel Hernández, Campus San Juan de Alicante, 03550 Alicante, Spain.
authors.forename: Maria Isabel
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Carreres
authors.forename: Augusto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Escalante
authors.forename: Blanca
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Murillo
authors.forename: Geraud
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chauvin
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gaspar
authors.forename: Celia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vegar
authors.forename: Eloisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Herrera
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology; D001931:Brain Mapping; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D018274:Electroporation; D036386:Ephrin-A5 / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D005829:Geniculate Bodies / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000502:physiology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics; D011247:Pregnancy; D036124:Receptor, EphA6 / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D012160:Retina / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D013477:Superior Colliculi / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D036386:Ephrin-A5; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; C489562:Foxd1 protein, mouse; D004247:DNA; D036124:Receptor, EphA6