Live imaging of retinotectal mapping reveals topographic map dynamics and a previously undescribed role for Contactin 2 in map sharpening.

ABSTRACT: Organization of neuronal connections into topographic maps is essential for processing information. Yet, our understanding of topographic mapping has remained limited by our inability to observe maps forming and refining directly in vivo. Here, we used Cre-mediated recombination of a new colorswitch reporter in zebrafish to generate the first transgenic model allowing the dynamic analysis of retinotectal mapping in vivo. We found that the antero-posterior retinotopic map forms early but remains dynamic, with nasal and temporal retinal axons expanding their projection domains over time. Nasal projections initially arborize in the anterior tectum but progressively refine their projection domain to the posterior tectum, leading to the sharpening of the retinotopic map along the antero-posteri

SUBMITTER: Spead O 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8645211 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature