TY - JOUR
T1 - Revealing the Hox code in developing spinocerebellar neurons
AU - Coughlan, Eamon
AU - Garside, Victoria
AU - Serralbo, Olivier
AU - Wong, Siew-Fen Lisa
AU - Liang, Huazheng
AU - Kraus, Dominik
AU - Karmakar, Kajari
AU - Rijli, Filippo
AU - Bourne, James
AU - McGlinn, Edwina
N1 - Abstract No. PS4.24
PY - 2017/7
Y1 - 2017/7
N2 - Coordinated body movement requires integration of many sensory inputs. This includes proprioception, the sense of relative body position and force associated with movement. Proprioceptive information ofthe lower body/hind limb is relayed directly to the cerebellum via spinocerebellar (SC) neurons, located within four major neuronal columns or various scattered cell populations of the spinal cord. Despite their importance, a molecular understanding of these relay neurons is only beginning to be explored, with limited knowledge of molecular heterogeneity within and between columns. Here, we identify expression of Hox cluster genes, including both protein-coding genes and microRNAs, within SC neurons. Using neuronal tracing, in situ hybridisation and novel fluorescent reporter knock-in mice, we show that all posterior Hox genes of the 9-11 paralogs are expressed in SC neurons, revealing a "Hox code" based on axial level and individual SC column. Furthermore, we show that Hoxc9 function is required in most, but not all, cells of the major thoracic SC column, Clarke’s column, revealing heterogeneity reliant on Hox signatures.
AB - Coordinated body movement requires integration of many sensory inputs. This includes proprioception, the sense of relative body position and force associated with movement. Proprioceptive information ofthe lower body/hind limb is relayed directly to the cerebellum via spinocerebellar (SC) neurons, located within four major neuronal columns or various scattered cell populations of the spinal cord. Despite their importance, a molecular understanding of these relay neurons is only beginning to be explored, with limited knowledge of molecular heterogeneity within and between columns. Here, we identify expression of Hox cluster genes, including both protein-coding genes and microRNAs, within SC neurons. Using neuronal tracing, in situ hybridisation and novel fluorescent reporter knock-in mice, we show that all posterior Hox genes of the 9-11 paralogs are expressed in SC neurons, revealing a "Hox code" based on axial level and individual SC column. Furthermore, we show that Hoxc9 function is required in most, but not all, cells of the major thoracic SC column, Clarke’s column, revealing heterogeneity reliant on Hox signatures.
U2 - 10.1016/j.mod.2017.04.331
DO - 10.1016/j.mod.2017.04.331
M3 - Meeting Abstract
SN - 0925-4773
VL - 145
SP - S122
JO - Mechanisms of Development
JF - Mechanisms of Development
IS - S1
ER -