title: Neuronal maturation and laminar formation in the chicken optic tectum are accompanied by the transition of phosphorylated cofilin from cytoplasm to nucleus.
abstract: Laminar formation in the chicken optic tectum requires processes that coordinate proliferation, migration and differentiation of neurons, in which the dynamics of actin filaments are crucial. Cofilin plays pivotal roles in regulating actin arrangement via its phosphorylation on Ser3. Given poor studies on the profile of phosphorylated cofilin (p-cofilin) in the developing tectum, we investigated its expression pattern. As determined by immunofluorescence histochemistry and western blotting, p-cofilin could be detected in most tectal layers except for the neural epithelium. In addition, we found p-cofilin was expressed both in the cytoplasm and the nucleus. During development, the expression of the cytoplasmic p-cofilin was decreasing and the nuclear p-cofilin was gradually increasing, but the total level of p-cofilin was down regulated. Double-labeling experiments revealed that the nuclear p-cofilin could be labeled in mature neurons but undetected in immature neurons. Furthermore, the number of cells co-stained with nuclear p-cofilin and NeuN was up-regulated during lamination and 60% cells were detected to be mature neurons that can express nuclear p-cofilin just at the first appearance of completed laminae. Our results demonstrate that the maturation of neurons is accompanied by this cytoplasm-to-nucleus transition of p-cofilin, and the nuclear p-cofilin can work effectively as a marker in the laminar formation of the chicken optic tectum.
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100 Shaanxi, China.
authors.forename: Lingling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100 Shaanxi, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Institute for Structural Neurobiology, Center for Molecular Neurobiology Hamburg (ZMNH), Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Xuejun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chai
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100 Shaanxi, China.
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100 Shaanxi, China.
authors.forename: Jiongfang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100 Shaanxi, China.
authors.forename: Shulin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100 Shaanxi, China. Electronic address: shantingzhao@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Shanting
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D008841:Actin Cytoskeleton / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051339:Actin Depolymerizing Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002642:Chick Embryo; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D055495:Neurogenesis; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation; D013477:Superior Colliculi / Q000196:embryology*; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D051339:Actin Depolymerizing Factors; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins
keywords: Chicken development; Cytoplasm-to-nucleus transition; Laminar formation; Neuronal maturation; Optic tectum; p-Cofilin