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Cdk5 selectively affects the migration of different populations of neurons in the developing spinal cord
Author(s) -
Yip Yee Ping,
Capriotti Christine,
Drill Emily,
Tsai LiHuei,
Yip Joseph W.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of comparative neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.855
H-Index - 209
eISSN - 1096-9861
pISSN - 0021-9967
DOI - 10.1002/cne.21377
Subject(s) - cyclin dependent kinase 5 , spinal cord , neuroscience , biology , axon , anatomy , kinase , microbiology and biotechnology , protein kinase a , mitogen activated protein kinase kinase
It has been shown that cyclin‐dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) is crucial for neuronal migration and survival in the brain. However, the role of Cdk5 in neuronal migration in the spinal cord has never been investigated. The present study is the first to show that Cdk5 affects the migration of different populations of neurons in the developing spinal cord. In the absence of Cdk5, at least four neuronal populations failed to migrate to their final destinations: sympathetic and parasympathetic preganglionic neurons, as well as dorsally originating and ventrally originating (U‐shaped group) diaphorase‐positive dorsal horn interneurons. In contrast, the migration of somatic motor neurons and various types of ventral and dorsal interneurons was unaffected by the absence of Cdk5. Moreover, our results suggest that Cdk5‐dependent migration in the developing spinal cord is axon‐ or glial fiber‐mediated. Finally, our results show that sympathetic preganglionic neurons and somatic motor neurons in Cdk5‐deficient mice continue to extend processes and project toward their normal target areas, suggesting that Cdk5 has no obvious effects on axonal outgrowth and guidance mechanisms of these two neuronal populations in spinal cord development. J. Comp. Neurol. 503:297–307, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.