Astrocyte-encoded positional cues maintain sensorimotor circuit integrity

ABSTRACT: Astrocytes, the most abundant cells in the central nervous system, promote synapse formation and help refine neural connectivity. Although they are allocated to spatially distinct regional domains during development, it is unknown whether region-restricted astrocytes are functionally heterogeneous. Here we show that postnatal spinal cord astrocytes express several region-specific genes, and that ventral astrocyte-encoded Semaphorin3a (Sema3a) is required for proper motor neuron and sensory neuron circuit organization. Loss of astrocyte-encoded Sema3a led to dysregulated α−motor neuron axon initial segment orientation, markedly abnormal synaptic inputs, and selective death of α−but not of adjacent γ−motor neurons. Additionally, a subset of TrkA+ sensory afferents projected to ectopic ventra

ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus

SUBMITTER: David Rowitch 

PROVIDER: E-GEOD-55054 | biostudies-arrayexpress |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-arrayexpress