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Vocal control area‐related expression of neuropilin‐1 , plexin‐A4 , and the ligand semaphorin‐3A has implications for the evolution of the avian vocal system
Author(s) -
Matsunaga Eiji,
Okanoya Kazuo
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
development, growth and differentiation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.864
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1440-169X
pISSN - 0012-1592
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-169x.2008.01080.x
Subject(s) - semaphorin , biology , songbird , neuropilin , neuropilin 1 , plexin , neuroscience , coturnix , axon guidance , quail , genetics , receptor , axon , endocrinology , paleontology , vegf receptors , cancer research , vascular endothelial growth factor
The avian vocal system is a good model for exploring the molecular basis of neural circuit evolution related to behavioral diversity. Previously, we conducted a comparative gene expression analysis among two different families of vocal learner, the Bengalese finch ( Lonchura striata var. domestica ), a songbird, and the budgerigar ( Melopsittacus undulatus ), a parrot; and a non‐learner, the quail ( Coturnix coturnix ), to identify various axon guidance molecules such as cadherin and neuropilin‐1 as vocal control area‐related genes. Here, we continue with this study and examine the expression of neuropilin and related genes in these species in more detail. We found that neuropilin‐1 and its coreceptor, plexin‐A4 , were expressed in several vocal control areas in both Bengalese finch and budgerigar brains. In addition, semaphorin‐3A , the ligand of neuropilin‐1 , expression was not detected in vocal control areas in both species. Furthermore, there was some similar gene expression in the quail brain. These results suggest the possibility that a change in the expression of a combination of semaphorin/neuropilin/plexin was involved in the acquisition of vocal learning ability during evolution.