zebrafish staining

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Early development of primary motor neurons and somites in Zebrafish Embryos
Wenxin Wei, F&M College 2001

Background:

Zebrafish,or the teleost fish Danio rerio,is a rapidly developing organism that is a

popular species for studying vertebrate development. Cleavage in the Zebrafish only occurs in

the blastodisc,a region of cytoplasm in the animal cap of the egg. This type of meroblastic

cleavage is called discoidal. Cell divisions are rapid in the zebrafish,with divisions taking

about fifteen minutes each. Gastrulation is usually complete after a little over ten hours from

fertilization. About 24 hours after fertilization,the embryo has formed most of its tissue and

organ primordia and displays the tadpole like form.

This experiment will look at the development of motor neurons in zebrafish at the 24

hour stage. Motor neurons arise from neurons at the ventrolateral margin of the neural tube.

These cells are first signaled by Sonic hedgehog from the notocord to instruct them to become

ventral neurons,and later instructed by Sonic hedgehog from the floor plate cells to become

motor neurons instead of an interneuron. Further motor neuron specification is required,

since they must innervate all the various parts of the body. In mammals,motor neurons are

grouped into three large columns according to their target. Motor neurons in the column of Terni

(CT) project into the sympathetic ganglia,those in the lateral motor column (LMC) extend to

the limb musculature,and those of the medial motor columns (MMC) project to the axial

muscles. The migration patterns and proliferation of these motor neurons is thought to be

regulated by the cell's age when it last divides.

@ Cebra-Thomas, 2001

Last Modified: 2 August 2001

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		Early development of primary motor neurons and somites in Zebrafish Embryos Wenxin Wei, F&M College 2001
		Background:
		Zebrafish,or the teleost fish Danio rerio,is a rapidly developing organism that is a popular species for studying vertebrate development. Cleavage in the Zebrafish only occurs in the blastodisc,a region of cytoplasm in the animal cap of the egg. This type of meroblastic cleavage is called discoidal. Cell divisions are rapid in the zebrafish,with divisions taking about fifteen minutes each. Gastrulation is usually complete after a little over ten hours from fertilization. About 24 hours after fertilization,the embryo has formed most of its tissue and organ primordia and displays the tadpole like form. This experiment will look at the development of motor neurons in zebrafish at the 24 hour stage. Motor neurons arise from neurons at the ventrolateral margin of the neural tube. These cells are first signaled by Sonic hedgehog from the notocord to instruct them to become ventral neurons,and later instructed by Sonic hedgehog from the floor plate cells to become motor neurons instead of an interneuron. Further motor neuron specification is required, since they must innervate all the various parts of the body. In mammals,motor neurons are grouped into three large columns according to their target. Motor neurons in the column of Terni (CT) project into the sympathetic ganglia,those in the lateral motor column (LMC) extend to the limb musculature,and those of the medial motor columns (MMC) project to the axial muscles. The migration patterns and proliferation of these motor neurons is thought to be regulated by the cell's age when it last divides.