Project Details
Projekt
Induktion des Telencephalons in der Zebrafisch Entwicklung
Applicant
Dr. Holger Bielen
Subject Area
Developmental Biology
Term
from 2009 to 2012
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 125787373
During vertebrate development a simple epithelial sheet of cells, located at the most rostral part of the neural plate, differentiates into the forebrain, one of most complex cellular structures known. Although several key factors have been shown to be involved in the induction of telencephalic fate, we are far from understanding how this molecular network (inter)acts to achieve such a morphological complexity. Our proposal aims to disclose the role of BMP signalling activity in neural plate development and intends to unravel new network components involved in early telencephalic D/V patterning events in zebrafish and other vertebrates. First I will characterize the spatial-temporal function of BMP signalling activity in the neural plate (nascent telencephalon) by using heat shock inducible dominant negative and constitutively active BMP receptor transgenic lines. Additionally I will assess the potential combinatorial effect of BMP and Wnt signalling pathway activity in ANB formation and establishment of telencephalic roof signalling centre. In parallel an unbiased DNA array-based transcriptome analysis will be performed to screen for factors restricted to the prospective dorsal or ventral telencephalic territories during neurulation. I expect to isolate new factors involved in early fate decisions during regionalization of the telencephalon into pallium and sub-pallium. Finally, I will begin to address the evolutionary conservation of neural plate patterning mechanisms by performing a comparative expression analysis of early forebrain markers in fish, chick and mouse.
DFG Programme
Research Fellowships
International Connection
United Kingdom
