title: Proper migration and axon outgrowth of zebrafish cranial motoneuron subpopulations require the cell adhesion molecule MDGA2A.
abstract: The formation of functional neuronal circuits relies on accurate migration and proper axonal outgrowth of neuronal precursors. On the route to their targets migrating cells and growing axons depend on both, directional information from neurotropic cues and adhesive interactions mediated via extracellular matrix molecules or neighbouring cells. The inactivation of guidance cues or the interference with cell adhesion can cause severe defects in neuronal migration and axon guidance. In this study we have analyzed the function of the MAM domain containing glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor 2A (MDGA2A) protein in zebrafish cranial motoneuron development. MDGA2A is prominently expressed in distinct clusters of cranial motoneurons, especially in the ones of the trigeminal and facial nerves. Analyses of MDGA2A knockdown embryos by light sheet and confocal microscopy revealed impaired migration and aberrant axonal outgrowth of these neurons; suggesting that adhesive interactions mediated by MDGA2A are required for the proper arrangement and outgrowth of cranial motoneuron subtypes.
authors.affiliation: Brain Research Institute of the University Zurich and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Department of Biology, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ingold
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Colette M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Vom Berg-Maurer
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Christoph J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Burckhardt
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lehnherr
authors.affiliation: Brain Research Institute of the University Zurich and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Department of Biology, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rieder
authors.affiliation: EMBL Heidelberg, Meyerhofstraße 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Philip J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Keller
authors.affiliation: EMBL Heidelberg, Meyerhofstraße 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Ernst H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Stelzer
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Urs F
authors.initials: UF
authors.lastname: Greber
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Stephan C F
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Neuhauss
authors.affiliation: Brain Research Institute of the University Zurich and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Department of Biology, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland matthias.gesemann@imls.uzh.ch.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gesemann
keywords: Axon guidance; Cell adhesion; Cell migration; Cranial motoneurons; Digital light sheet microscopy; MDGA; Zebrafish