title: Spatial distribution of prominin-1 (CD133)-positive cells within germinative zones of the vertebrate brain.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In mammals, embryonic neural progenitors as well as adult neural stem cells can be prospectively isolated based on the cell surface expression of prominin-1 (CD133), a plasma membrane glycoprotein. In contrast, characterization of neural progenitors in non-mammalian vertebrates endowed with significant constitutive neurogenesis and inherent self-repair ability is hampered by the lack of suitable cell surface markers. Here, we have investigated whether prominin-1-orthologues of the major non-mammalian vertebrate model organisms show any degree of conservation as for their association with neurogenic geminative zones within the central nervous system (CNS) as they do in mammals or associated with activated neural progenitors during provoked neurogenesis in the regenerating CNS.
  
  
  METHODS
  We have recently identified prominin-1 orthologues from zebrafish, axolotl and chicken. The spatial distribution of prominin-1-positive cells--in comparison to those of mice--was mapped in the intact brain in these organisms by non-radioactive in situ hybridization combined with detection of proliferating neural progenitors, marked either by proliferating cell nuclear antigen or 5-bromo-deoxyuridine. Furthermore, distribution of prominin-1 transcripts was investigated in the regenerating spinal cord of injured axolotl.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Remarkably, a conserved association of prominin-1 with germinative zones of the CNS was uncovered as manifested in a significant co-localization with cell proliferation markers during normal constitutive neurogenesis in all species investigated. Moreover, an enhanced expression of prominin-1 became evident associated with provoked, compensatory neurogenesis during the epimorphic regeneration of the axolotl spinal cord. Interestingly, significant prominin-1-expressing cell populations were also detected at distinct extraventricular (parenchymal) locations in the CNS of all vertebrate species being suggestive of further, non-neurogenic neural function(s).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Collectively, our work provides the first data set describing a comparative analysis of prominin-1-positive progenitor cells across species establishing a framework for further functional characterization in the context of regeneration.
authors.affiliation: Tissue Engineering Laboratories-BIOTEC, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany. jozsef.jaszai@tu-dresden.de
authors.forename: József
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jászai
authors.forename: Sylvi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Graupner
authors.forename: Elly M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Richard H W
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Funk
authors.forename: Wieland B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Huttner
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brand
authors.forename: Denis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Corbeil
mesh_terms: D000071916:AC133 Antigen; D000558:Ambystoma mexicanum; D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology* / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development; D002642:Chick Embryo; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D054258:Neural Plate / Q000166:cytology; D058953:Neural Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D054259:Neural Tube / Q000166:cytology; D009928:Organ Specificity; D010455:Peptides / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012038:Regeneration; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000502:physiology; D015854:Up-Regulation; D015027:Zebrafish
chemical_list: D000071916:AC133 Antigen; D015703:Antigens, CD; D006023:Glycoproteins; D010455:Peptides; C000606024:Prom1 protein, mouse