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Ebf2 is required for development of dopamine neurons in the midbrain periaqueductal gray matter of mouse
Author(s) -
Yang Qiaoqiao,
Liu Shuxi,
Yin Min,
Yin Yanqing,
Zhou Guomin,
Zhou Jiawei
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
developmental neurobiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.716
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1932-846X
pISSN - 1932-8451
DOI - 10.1002/dneu.22284
Subject(s) - midbrain , periaqueductal gray , neuroscience , biology , ventral tegmental area , substantia nigra , dopamine , dopaminergic , neuron , anatomy , central nervous system
Dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the midbrain ventral periaqueductal gray matter (PAG) play critical roles in various physiological and pathophysiological processes including sleep‐wake rhyme, antinociception, and drug addiction. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying their development are poorly understood. Here, we showed that PAG DA neurons arose as early as E15.5 in mouse embryos. During the prenatal period, the majority of PAG DA neurons was distributed in the intermediate and caudal regions of the PAG. In the postnatal brain, ∼50% of PAG DA neurons were preferentially located in the caudal portion of the PAG. Moreover, transcription factor early B‐cell factor 2 (Ebf2) was transiently expressed in a subset of DA neurons in embryonic ventral mesencephalon. Functional analysis revealed that loss of Ebf2 in vivo caused a marked reduction in the number of DA neurons in the midbrain PAG but not in the substantia nigra and ventral tegmental area. Thus, Ebf2 is identified as a novel and important regulator selectively required for midbrain PAG DA neuron development. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 75: 1282–1294, 2015