Doublecortin in the Fish Visual System, a Specific Protein of Maturing Neurons
Doublecortin (DCX) is a microtubule associated protein, essential for correct central nervous system development and lamination in the mammalian cortex. It has been demonstrated to be expressed in developing—but not in mature—neurons. The teleost visual system is an ideal model to study mechanisms o...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-02-01
|
| Series: | Biology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/11/2/248 |
| _version_ | 1797482634009378816 |
|---|---|
| author | Laura DeOliveira-Mello Isabel Vicente Veronica Gonzalez-Nunez Adrian Santos-Ledo Almudena Velasco Rosario Arévalo Juan M. Lara Andreas F. Mack |
| author_facet | Laura DeOliveira-Mello Isabel Vicente Veronica Gonzalez-Nunez Adrian Santos-Ledo Almudena Velasco Rosario Arévalo Juan M. Lara Andreas F. Mack |
| author_sort | Laura DeOliveira-Mello |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Doublecortin (DCX) is a microtubule associated protein, essential for correct central nervous system development and lamination in the mammalian cortex. It has been demonstrated to be expressed in developing—but not in mature—neurons. The teleost visual system is an ideal model to study mechanisms of adult neurogenesis due to its continuous life-long growth. Here, we report immunohistochemical, <i>in silico</i>, and western blot analysis to detect the DCX protein in the visual system of teleost fish. We clearly determined the expression of DCX in newly generated cells in the retina of the cichlid fish <i>Astatotilapia burtoni</i>, but not in the cyprinid fish <i>Danio rerio</i>. Here, we show that DCX is not associated with migrating cells but could be related to axonal growth. This work brings to light the high conservation of DCX sequences between different evolutionary groups, which make it an ideal marker for maturing neurons in various species. The results from different techniques corroborate the absence of DCX expression in zebrafish. In <i>A. burtoni</i>, DCX is very useful for identifying new neurons in the transition zone of the retina. In addition, this marker can be applied to follow axons from maturing neurons through the neural fiber layer, optic nerve head, and optic nerve. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:35:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d65aa0c6fb0c4a36b9e1260eadcf21be |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-7737 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:35:14Z |
| publishDate | 2022-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Biology |
| spelling | doaj.art-d65aa0c6fb0c4a36b9e1260eadcf21be2023-11-23T18:50:20ZengMDPI AGBiology2079-77372022-02-0111224810.3390/biology11020248Doublecortin in the Fish Visual System, a Specific Protein of Maturing NeuronsLaura DeOliveira-Mello0Isabel Vicente1Veronica Gonzalez-Nunez2Adrian Santos-Ledo3Almudena Velasco4Rosario Arévalo5Juan M. Lara6Andreas F. Mack7Institute of Neurosciences of Castilla and León, University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, SpainDepartment of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, ItalyInstitute of Neurosciences of Castilla and León, University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, SpainInstitute of Neurosciences of Castilla and León, University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, SpainInstitute of Neurosciences of Castilla and León, University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, SpainInstitute of Neurosciences of Castilla and León, University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, SpainInstitute of Neurosciences of Castilla and León, University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, SpainInstitute of Clinical Anatomy and Cell Analysis, Eberhard-Karls Universität Tübingen, 72074 Tübingen, GermanyDoublecortin (DCX) is a microtubule associated protein, essential for correct central nervous system development and lamination in the mammalian cortex. It has been demonstrated to be expressed in developing—but not in mature—neurons. The teleost visual system is an ideal model to study mechanisms of adult neurogenesis due to its continuous life-long growth. Here, we report immunohistochemical, <i>in silico</i>, and western blot analysis to detect the DCX protein in the visual system of teleost fish. We clearly determined the expression of DCX in newly generated cells in the retina of the cichlid fish <i>Astatotilapia burtoni</i>, but not in the cyprinid fish <i>Danio rerio</i>. Here, we show that DCX is not associated with migrating cells but could be related to axonal growth. This work brings to light the high conservation of DCX sequences between different evolutionary groups, which make it an ideal marker for maturing neurons in various species. The results from different techniques corroborate the absence of DCX expression in zebrafish. In <i>A. burtoni</i>, DCX is very useful for identifying new neurons in the transition zone of the retina. In addition, this marker can be applied to follow axons from maturing neurons through the neural fiber layer, optic nerve head, and optic nerve.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/11/2/248doublecortinvisual system<i>Danio rerio</i><i>Astatotilapia burtoni</i>neurogenesis |
| spellingShingle | Laura DeOliveira-Mello Isabel Vicente Veronica Gonzalez-Nunez Adrian Santos-Ledo Almudena Velasco Rosario Arévalo Juan M. Lara Andreas F. Mack Doublecortin in the Fish Visual System, a Specific Protein of Maturing Neurons Biology doublecortin visual system <i>Danio rerio</i> <i>Astatotilapia burtoni</i> neurogenesis |
| title | Doublecortin in the Fish Visual System, a Specific Protein of Maturing Neurons |
| title_full | Doublecortin in the Fish Visual System, a Specific Protein of Maturing Neurons |
| title_fullStr | Doublecortin in the Fish Visual System, a Specific Protein of Maturing Neurons |
| title_full_unstemmed | Doublecortin in the Fish Visual System, a Specific Protein of Maturing Neurons |
| title_short | Doublecortin in the Fish Visual System, a Specific Protein of Maturing Neurons |
| title_sort | doublecortin in the fish visual system a specific protein of maturing neurons |
| topic | doublecortin visual system <i>Danio rerio</i> <i>Astatotilapia burtoni</i> neurogenesis |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/11/2/248 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT lauradeoliveiramello doublecortininthefishvisualsystemaspecificproteinofmaturingneurons AT isabelvicente doublecortininthefishvisualsystemaspecificproteinofmaturingneurons AT veronicagonzaleznunez doublecortininthefishvisualsystemaspecificproteinofmaturingneurons AT adriansantosledo doublecortininthefishvisualsystemaspecificproteinofmaturingneurons AT almudenavelasco doublecortininthefishvisualsystemaspecificproteinofmaturingneurons AT rosarioarevalo doublecortininthefishvisualsystemaspecificproteinofmaturingneurons AT juanmlara doublecortininthefishvisualsystemaspecificproteinofmaturingneurons AT andreasfmack doublecortininthefishvisualsystemaspecificproteinofmaturingneurons |