Nitric oxide as a putative retinal axon pathfinding and target recognition cue in Xenopus laevis
Nitric oxide (NO) is an atypical neurotransmitter synthesized by the enzyme nitric oxide synthase (NOS) during many stages of the Xenopus laevis life cycle. This research investigates whether the gas NO is involved in axon guidance, the neurodevelopmental process in which axons travel through the br...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Appalachian State University Honors College
2011-01-01
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| Series: | Impulse: The Premier Undergraduate Neuroscience Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://impulse.appstate.edu/sites/default/files/2011_Berman_MorrisFinal.pdf |
| _version_ | 1819181147057291264 |
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| author | Sara Berman Andrea Morris |
| author_facet | Sara Berman Andrea Morris |
| author_sort | Sara Berman |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Nitric oxide (NO) is an atypical neurotransmitter synthesized by the enzyme nitric oxide synthase (NOS) during many stages of the Xenopus laevis life cycle. This research investigates whether the gas NO is involved in axon guidance, the neurodevelopmental process in which axons travel through the brain to their appropriate target locations to form functional neural circuitry. Through immunocytochemistry and direct labeling of the NO gas with a fluorescent dye, we have found that NOS expression corresponds spatiotemporally with the beginning of retinal axon innervation of the optic tectum in X. laevis. Our function-blocking studies in which NO is chemically inhibited suggest that NO may be necessary for correct pathfinding and targeting, evidenced by qualitative widening of the optic tract and aberrant target innervation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T22:25:36Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-39029fa599f245bd9cb1bbdc34ef2280 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1934-3361 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T22:25:36Z |
| publishDate | 2011-01-01 |
| publisher | Appalachian State University Honors College |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Impulse: The Premier Undergraduate Neuroscience Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-39029fa599f245bd9cb1bbdc34ef22802022-12-21T18:10:34ZengAppalachian State University Honors CollegeImpulse: The Premier Undergraduate Neuroscience Journal1934-33612011-01-01112Nitric oxide as a putative retinal axon pathfinding and target recognition cue in Xenopus laevisSara BermanAndrea MorrisNitric oxide (NO) is an atypical neurotransmitter synthesized by the enzyme nitric oxide synthase (NOS) during many stages of the Xenopus laevis life cycle. This research investigates whether the gas NO is involved in axon guidance, the neurodevelopmental process in which axons travel through the brain to their appropriate target locations to form functional neural circuitry. Through immunocytochemistry and direct labeling of the NO gas with a fluorescent dye, we have found that NOS expression corresponds spatiotemporally with the beginning of retinal axon innervation of the optic tectum in X. laevis. Our function-blocking studies in which NO is chemically inhibited suggest that NO may be necessary for correct pathfinding and targeting, evidenced by qualitative widening of the optic tract and aberrant target innervation.http://impulse.appstate.edu/sites/default/files/2011_Berman_MorrisFinal.pdfnitric oxide synthaseretinotectal systemaxon target recognition |
| spellingShingle | Sara Berman Andrea Morris Nitric oxide as a putative retinal axon pathfinding and target recognition cue in Xenopus laevis Impulse: The Premier Undergraduate Neuroscience Journal nitric oxide synthase retinotectal system axon target recognition |
| title | Nitric oxide as a putative retinal axon pathfinding and target recognition cue in Xenopus laevis |
| title_full | Nitric oxide as a putative retinal axon pathfinding and target recognition cue in Xenopus laevis |
| title_fullStr | Nitric oxide as a putative retinal axon pathfinding and target recognition cue in Xenopus laevis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Nitric oxide as a putative retinal axon pathfinding and target recognition cue in Xenopus laevis |
| title_short | Nitric oxide as a putative retinal axon pathfinding and target recognition cue in Xenopus laevis |
| title_sort | nitric oxide as a putative retinal axon pathfinding and target recognition cue in xenopus laevis |
| topic | nitric oxide synthase retinotectal system axon target recognition |
| url | http://impulse.appstate.edu/sites/default/files/2011_Berman_MorrisFinal.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT saraberman nitricoxideasaputativeretinalaxonpathfindingandtargetrecognitioncueinxenopuslaevis AT andreamorris nitricoxideasaputativeretinalaxonpathfindingandtargetrecognitioncueinxenopuslaevis |