DOI
https://doi.org/10.25772/STE4-2V03
Defense Date
2016
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science
Department
Biology
First Advisor
Dr. Gregory Walsh
Abstract
In zebrafish, CoPA (Commissural Primary Ascending) is the first among ascending commissural axons to pathfind anteriorly and form the spinal commissure. One pathway that guides their anterior growth is the planar cell polarity (PCP) signaling pathway, but it is not fully known how PCP signaling regulates anterior guidance. We examined CoPA pathfinding in various PCP mutants to determine if anterior-posterior (A-P) guidance of CoPAs is dependent on PCP signaling. We found that certain PCP mutants exhibited anterior pathfinding defects, with approximately half of all affected CoPAs migrating incorrectly posteriorly. By using a translation-blocking DCC (Deleted in Colorectal Cancer) morpholino to prevent CoPA midline crossing, we discovered that CoPA axons in Fzd3a and Scribble mutants show severe defects in A-P guidance, which suggest that PCP influences A-P guidance of CoPAs prior to and after midline crossing.
Rights
© The Author
Is Part Of
VCU University Archives
Is Part Of
VCU Theses and Dissertations
Date of Submission
5-13-2016