Journal article
Wnt5a regulates midbrain dopaminergic axon growth and guidance
BD Blakely, CR Bye, CV Fernando, MK Horne, ML Macheda, SA Stacker, E Arenas, CL Parish
Plos One | Published : 2011
Open access
Abstract
During development, precise temporal and spatial gradients are responsible for guiding axons to their appropriate targets. Within the developing ventral midbrain (VM) the cues that guide dopaminergic (DA) axons to their forebrain targets remain to be fully elucidated. Wnts are morphogens that have been identified as axon guidance molecules. Several Wnts are expressed in the VM where they regulate the birth of DA neurons. Here, we describe that a precise temporo-spatial expression of Wnt5a accompanies the development of nigrostriatal projections by VM DA neurons. In mice at E11.5, Wnt5a is expressed in the VM where it was found to promote DA neurite and axonal growth in VM primary cultures. B..
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Awarded by National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Acknowledgements
This work was supported by grants from the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC #566740) and the Bethlehem Griffith Research Foundation (BGRF), Australia. C. L. P. was supported by a Human Frontiers Science Program Long-Term Training Fellowship, NHMRC CJ Martin Fellowship, and NHMRC Career Development Award. B. D. B. is supported by an Australian Postgraduate Award. S. A. S. is supported by an NHMRC Senior Research Fellowship. The work of E. A. was supported by grants from the Swedish Research Council (VR2008:2811 and DBRM), Norwegian Research Council and Karolinska Institutet. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.