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In vivo evidence for transdifferentiation of peripheral neurons

Year: 2010
Type: article
Abstract: It is commonly thought that differentiated neurons do not give rise to new cells, severely limiting the potential for regeneration and repair of the mature nervous system. However, we have identified cells in zebrafish larvae that first differentiate into dorsal root ganglia sensory neurons but later acquire a sympathetic neuron phenotype. These transdifferentiating neurons are present in wild-type zebrafish. However, they are increased in number in larvae that have a mutant voltage-gated sodium channel gene, scn8aa. Sodium channel knock-down promotes migration of differentiated sensory neurons away from the ganglia. Once in a new environment, sensory neurons transdifferentiate regardless of sodium channel expression. These findings reveal an unsuspected plasticity in differentiated neurons that points to new strategies for treatment of nervous system disease.
Source: Development
DOI: 10.1242/dev.052696
Language: English
Open Access status: bronze
Funders: Howard Hughes Medical Institute, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Center for Research Resources, Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology
Awards: Rocky Mountain Neurological Disorders Core Center, Neuronal Excitability in Wild Type and Mutant Zebrafish, G1664773227, REGULATION OF NEURAL CAMS BY GROWTH FACTORS AND ACTIVITY, Non-cell autonomous developmental effects of sodium channels, G4324144158, G5122243993, G546972253, G6118902829, Genetic and molecular dissection of hair-cell function, Zebrafish International Resource Center
OpenAlex ID: W2131073124
FWCI: 0.904
Cites: 52
Cited by: 24
Related to: 10