Etablierung neuroanatomischer Asymmetrien im Gehirn des Zebrafisches (A18#)

• Fachliche Zuordnung: Entwicklungsneurobiologie
• Förderung: Förderung von 2009 bis 2011
• Projektkennung: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Projektnummer 5484030

The vertebrate brain is an immensely complex structure which exhibits numerous asymmetries, both morphological and functional. How these asymmetries are genetically established has remained a key open question.Significant progress has been achieved through recent studies of brain asymmetries in the fish. While the majority of studies have investigated how the laterality or sidedness of asymmetries is established, I propose here to follow up my recent studies showing that the Axin1 gene, as part of the Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway, is crucially involved in the development of brain asymmetries per se. I will combine molecular biology, genetics and advanced imaging to elucidate where, when and how Axin1/Wnt/β-catenin signalling contributes to the establishment of brain asymmetries. My main tools will be the analysis of zebrafish mutated in genes known to act in this pathway. Furthermore timely and spatially regulated misexpression of genes in combinations of wild type, mutant and transgenic animals will complement my studies. I believe the outcome of this project will be of high impact as it will substantially contribute to a better understanding of the genetics underlying the establishment of brain asymmetries.

• DFG-Verfahren: Sonderforschungsbereiche
• Teilprojekt zu: SFB 488: Molekulare und zelluläre Grundlagen neuraler Entwicklungsprozesse
• Antragstellende Institution: Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg
• Teilprojektleiter: Dr. Matthias Carl