DOI
https://doi.org/10.25772/ZJ21-N315
Defense Date
2022
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science
Department
Biology
First Advisor
Gregory Walsh
Abstract
Myelinating oligodendrocytes develop from a migratory population of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs). Complete myelination requires that oligodendrocytes be uniformly distributed to myelinate along the entire length of target axons. We propose that OPC migration is a form of collective migration, since one OPC can have an impact on the positioning of another OPC. We further propose that the mechanism of OPC self-avoidance involves contact inhibition of locomotion (CIL), and represents another in vivo model system to study the mechanism of this cell-cell contact mediated collective migratory behavior. N-cadherin is a transmembrane cell adhesion molecule that functions in CIL for other cell types. Here, we test whether N-Cadherin is required for OPC migration and dispersion. Using a dominant-negative approach, transgenic zebrafish, and extensive live imaging, we demonstrate that N-cadherin is not required for OPC migration per se, but is required for OPC self-avoidance and tiling in the developing nervous system.
Rights
© The Author
Is Part Of
VCU University Archives
Is Part Of
VCU Theses and Dissertations
Date of Submission
7-2-2022