title: Kit signaling is required for development of coordinated motility patterns in zebrafish gastrointestinal tract.
abstract: Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) provide a pacemaker signal for coordinated motility patterns in the mammalian gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Kit signaling is required for development and maintenance of ICC, and these cells can be identified by Kit-like immunoreactivity. The zebrafish GI tract has two distinct ICC networks similar to mammals, suggesting a similar role in the generation of GI motility; however, a functional role for Kit-positive cells in zebrafish has not been determined. Analysis of GI motility in intact zebrafish larvae was performed during development and after disruption of Kit signaling. Development of coordinated motility patterns occurred after 5 days post-fertilization (dpf) and correlated with appearance of Kit-positive cells. Disruptions of Kit signaling using the Kit antagonist imatinib mesylate, and in Sparse, a null kita mutant, also disrupted development of coordinated motility patterns. These data suggest that Kit signaling is necessary for development of coordinated motility patterns and that Kit-positive cells in zebrafish are necessary for coordinated motility patterns.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, The College at Brockport, State University of New York , Brockport, NY 14420, USA. arich@brockport.edu
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rich
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gordon
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Simon J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Gibbons
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schaefer
authors.forename: Grant
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hennig
authors.forename: Gianrico
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Farrugia
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility; D056885:Interstitial Cells of Cajal / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D007422:Intestines / Q000502:physiology*; D007814:Larva / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D029961:Zebrafish Proteins; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit