Primary cilia are critical for Sonic hedgehog-mediated dopaminergic neurogenesis in the embryonic midbrain.

ABSTRACT: Midbrain dopaminergic (mDA) neurons modulate various motor and cognitive functions, and their dysfunction or degeneration has been implicated in several psychiatric diseases. Both Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) and Wnt signaling pathways have been shown to be essential for normal development of mDA neurons. Primary cilia are critical for the development of a number of structures in the brain by serving as a hub for essential developmental signaling cascades, but their role in the generation of mDA neurons has not been examined. We analyzed mutant mouse lines deficient in the intraflagellar transport protein IFT88, which is critical for primary cilia function. Conditional inactivation of Ift88 in the midbrain after E9.0 results in progressive loss of primary cilia, a decreased size of the mDA progeni

SUBMITTER: Gazea M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5873949 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature