Click here to close
Hello! We notice that you are using Internet Explorer, which is not supported by Xenbase and may cause the site to display incorrectly.
We suggest using a current version of Chrome,
FireFox, or Safari.
???displayArticle.abstract???
Nonmammalian vertebrates have a remarkable capacity to regenerate braintissue in response to central nervous system (CNS) injury. Nevertheless, it is not clear whether animals recover lost function after injury or whether injury-induced cell proliferation mediates recovery. We address these questions using the visual system and visually-guided behavior in Xenopus laevis tadpoles. We established a reproducible means to produce a unilateral focal injury to optic tectal neurons without damaging retinotectal axons. We then assayed a tectally-mediated visual avoidance behavior to evaluate behavioral impairment and recovery. Focal ablation of part of the optic tectum prevents the visual avoidance response to moving stimuli. Animals recover the behavior over the week following injury. Injury induces a burst of proliferation of tectal progenitor cells based on phospho-histone H3 immunolabeling and experiments showing that Musashi-immunoreactive tectal progenitors incorporate the thymidine analog chlorodeoxyuridine after injury. Pulse chase experiments indicate that the newly-generated cells differentiate into N-β-tubulin-immunoreactive neurons. Furthermore, in vivo time-lapse imaging shows that Sox2-expressing neural progenitors divide in response to injury and generate neurons with elaborate dendritic arbors. These experiments indicate that new neurons are generated in response to injury. To test if neurogenesis is necessary for recovery from injury, we blocked cell proliferation in vivo and found that recovery of the visual avoidance behavior is inhibited by drugs that block cell proliferation. Moreover, behavioral recovery is facilitated by changes in visual experience that increase tectal progenitor cell proliferation. Our data indicate that neurogenesis in the optic tectum is critical for recovery of visually-guided behavior after injury.
Fig. 1. Xenopus laevis tadpoles exhibit an avoidance response to moving stimuli. A: Visual avoidance behavior apparatus. Animals are placed in the chamber and a moving stimulus is presented from below. Video images are captured from above. B: Still frames of a video sequence showing stage 47 tadpoles' behavioral response to the upward moving stimulus (66.67 ms/frame, every other frame is shown). Tadpoles do not respond to stationary dots (B, iâiv, left panels) and swim in a straight trajectory, as shown in the drawing (B, v). In contrast, tadpoles exhibit an avoidance behavior in response to moving stimuli (B, viâix, right panels) and abruptly change their trajectory upon an encounter with a perpendicularly approaching dot, indicated by arrow in the drawing of the swim trajectory (B, x). Time stamps shown in panels Biâiv also correspond to Bviâix. C: Both pigmented and albino tadpoles similarly display a strong avoidance behavior to a stimulus size of 0.4 cm in diameter (n = 12 animals each).
Unilateral injury to the optic tectum. A: Schematic of the injury paradigm. Stage 47 tadpoles were surgically injured by aspirating a focal region of optic tectal cells (black) from the caudal right tectal lobe, caudomedial to the region of retinal axon innervation (gray). B,C: DIC images show the tectal lobe before surgery (B) and after surgery (C). Arrows in C indicate wound area. D: Quantification of the tectal volumes before and after surgery. Surgery decreases the volume of the right tectal lobe without affecting the volume of the left tectal lobe. n = 16 animals, P < 0.01. E,F: Single optical sections of fluorescent FM4-64 membrane dye labeling before (E) and after surgery (F). The tectal lobes are outlined in white. The injury site in the right lobe was between the arrows. G,H: DiI labeling of the RGC axons in intact (G) and injured (H) tecta. Injury does not alter gross morphology of the RGCaxon arbors. Scale bars = 100 μm in BâF; 30 μm in G,H.
Fig. 4. Phospho-histone 3 (PH3) immunoreactivity increases after injury. The right tectal lobe of stage 47 tadpoles was injured and changes in cell division were assessed in the right and left tectal lobes by immunolabeling for PH3 over the course of 5 days to identify dividing cells in M phase of the cell cycle. Data were analyzed as individual optical sections, but are presented as confocal Z-projections of the tectal lobes, which are outlined. AâJ: PH3 labeling of dividing cells in the tectal lobes 24 hours (A,B), 48 hours (C,D), 3 days (E,F), 4 days (G,H), and 5 days (I,J) after injury in the intact left tectal lobe (A,C,E,G,I) and in the injured right tectal lobe (B,D,F,H,J) of the same animals. K: Total counts of PH3-labeled nuclei in the injured (black line) and intact (gray line) tecta over a 5-day period after injury. n = 25 animals total (5 for each timepoint). *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, n.s. = not significant. Data are average ± SEM. Scale bars = 100 μm.
Figure 5. Cell Proliferation increases after injury. The right tectal lobe of stage 47 tadpoles was injured and changes in cell proliferation were assessed by exposing animals to IdU for 2 hours. Data were analyzed as individual optical sections, but are presented as confocal Z-projections of the entire tectum from whole-mount brains. AâC: IdU incorporation in the tectum 2 hours after injury (A), 24 hours after injury (B), and 48 hours after injury (C). D: Total cell counts of IdU-positive cells per tectal lobe in the injured vs. intact tectum over a 48-hour period after injury. n = 15 animals total (5 for each timepoint), **P < 0.01. Data are average ± SEM. Scale bar = 100 μm.
Figure 6. Proliferating cells are musashi1-expressing neural progenitor cells. Stage 47 tadpoles were injured in the righttectum. Two days later animals were exposed to CldU for 2 hours and processed immediately for CldU immunolabeling. AâF: Representative single optical sections from confocal images of 30-μm sections through the optic tectum of tadpoles labeled with antibodies to musashi1 (Msi1, green) and CldU (magenta). DâF: enlargements of the boxed area marked in C. 93.3 ± 2.5% of CldU-positive cells in injured tectal lobes were double-labeled with musashi1 antibodies (n = 7 animals). Scale bars = 50 μm in C and 20 μm in F.
Figure 7. Injury increases the generation of new neurons. The right tectal lobe of stage 47 tadpoles was injured. Two days later tadpoles were then exposed to CldU for 2 hours in rearing solution and were allowed to develop in the absence of CldU for 2 days. AâF: Representative images of single optical sections of N-β-tubulin (green; A,C,D,F) and CldU (magenta; B,C,E,F)-immunoreactivity in 30-μm vibratome sections. DâF: Enlargements of boxed area in C. Scale bars = 50 μm in C; 20 μm in F.
Figure 8. Tectal cells generated after injury differentiate into neurons. In vivo time-lapse images of tectal cells labeled by expression of turboGFP in Sox2-expressing neural progenitors cells at the time of injury. Time-lapse images of the uninjured (AâD) and injured (EâH) tecta collected 1, 2, 4, and 7 days after injury are shown. Scale bar = 70 μm.
Banerjee,
A monoclonal antibody against the type II isotype of beta-tubulin. Preparation of isotypically altered tubulin.
1988, Pubmed
Banerjee,
A monoclonal antibody against the type II isotype of beta-tubulin. Preparation of isotypically altered tubulin.
1988,
Pubmed
Bestman,
In vivo time-lapse imaging of cell proliferation and differentiation in the optic tectum of Xenopus laevis tadpoles.
2012,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase
Blaiss,
Temporally specified genetic ablation of neurogenesis impairs cognitive recovery after traumatic brain injury.
2011,
Pubmed
Cernak,
Animal models of head trauma.
2005,
Pubmed
Chen,
Neurogenesis of corticospinal motor neurons extending spinal projections in adult mice.
2004,
Pubmed
Chernoff,
Urodele spinal cord regeneration and related processes.
2003,
Pubmed
Chiu,
Insulin receptor signaling regulates synapse number, dendritic plasticity, and circuit function in vivo.
2008,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase
Covey,
Defining the critical period for neocortical neurogenesis after pediatric brain injury.
2010,
Pubmed
Davalos,
ATP mediates rapid microglial response to local brain injury in vivo.
2005,
Pubmed
Dong,
Visual avoidance in Xenopus tadpoles is correlated with the maturation of visual responses in the optic tectum.
2009,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase
Endo,
Brain regeneration in anuran amphibians.
2007,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase
Ferretti,
Is there a relationship between adult neurogenesis and neuron generation following injury across evolution?
2011,
Pubmed
Filoni,
A study of the regeneration of the cerebellum of Xenopus laevis (Daudin) in the larval stages and after metamorphosis.
1971,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase
Filoni,
Differences in the decrease in regenerative capacity of various brain regions of Xenopus laevis are related to differences in the undifferentiated cell populations.
1995,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase
Filoni,
A study of the regenerative capacity of the central nervous system of anuran amphibia in relation to their stage of development. I. Observations on the regeneration of the optic lobe of Xenopus laevis (Daudin) in the larval stages.
1969,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase
Gaete,
Spinal cord regeneration in Xenopus tadpoles proceeds through activation of Sox2-positive cells.
2012,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase
Gaze,
The relationship between retinal and tectal growth in larval Xenopus: implications for the development of the retino-tectal projection.
1979,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase
Gibbs,
Metamorphosis and the regenerative capacity of spinal cord axons in Xenopus laevis.
2011,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase
Gong,
Evidence that pioneer olfactory axons regulate telencephalon cell cycle kinetics to induce the formation of the olfactory bulb.
1995,
Pubmed
Good,
The sequence of a nervous system-specific, class II beta-tubulin gene from Xenopus laevis.
1989,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase
Goodbrand,
Microglia in tadpoles of Xenopus laevis: normal distribution and the response to optic nerve injury.
1991,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase
Götz,
The cell biology of neurogenesis.
2005,
Pubmed
Haas,
Targeted electroporation in Xenopus tadpoles in vivo--from single cells to the entire brain.
2002,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase
Harris,
Neuronal determination without cell division in Xenopus embryos.
1991,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase
Harry,
Microglia in the developing brain: a potential target with lifetime effects.
2012,
Pubmed
Huang,
BDNF promotes target innervation of Xenopus mandibular trigeminal axons in vivo.
2007,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase
Jacob,
Pharmacology of dimethyl sulfoxide in cardiac and CNS damage.
2009,
Pubmed
Julien,
Dimethyl sulfoxide induces both direct and indirect tau hyperphosphorylation.
2012,
Pubmed
Kaneko,
Musashi1: an evolutionally conserved marker for CNS progenitor cells including neural stem cells.
2000,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase
Kazim,
Management of penetrating brain injury.
2011,
Pubmed
Kernie,
Forebrain neurogenesis after focal Ischemic and traumatic brain injury.
2010,
Pubmed
Kim,
Activation of subventricular zone stem cells after neuronal injury.
2008,
Pubmed
Kim,
Evidence for the spontaneous production but massive programmed cell death of new neurons in the subcallosal zone of the postnatal mouse brain.
2011,
Pubmed
Kishimoto,
Neuronal regeneration in a zebrafish model of adult brain injury.
2012,
Pubmed
Kleindienst,
Enhanced hippocampal neurogenesis by intraventricular S100B infusion is associated with improved cognitive recovery after traumatic brain injury.
2005,
Pubmed
Kroehne,
Regeneration of the adult zebrafish brain from neurogenic radial glia-type progenitors.
2011,
Pubmed
Liu,
Neuronal replacement in the injured olfactory bulb.
2011,
Pubmed
Lu,
Long-distance growth and connectivity of neural stem cells after severe spinal cord injury.
2012,
Pubmed
Mackerle,
Unusual penetrating head injury in children: personal experience and review of the literature.
2009,
Pubmed
Magavi,
Induction of neurogenesis in the neocortex of adult mice.
2000,
Pubmed
Minelli,
Newly-formed neurons in the regenerating optic tectum of Triturus cristatus carnifex.
1987,
Pubmed
Minelli,
Proliferative response of the mesencephalic matrix areas in the reparation of the optic tectum of Triturus cristatus carnifex.
1990,
Pubmed
Moody,
Developmental expression of a neuron-specific beta-tubulin in frog (Xenopus laevis): a marker for growing axons during the embryonic period.
1996,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase
Morganti-Kossmann,
Role of cerebral inflammation after traumatic brain injury: a revisited concept.
2001,
Pubmed
Nimmerjahn,
Resting microglial cells are highly dynamic surveillants of brain parenchyma in vivo.
2005,
Pubmed
Packer,
Nitric oxide negatively regulates mammalian adult neurogenesis.
2003,
Pubmed
Peunova,
Nitric oxide coordinates cell proliferation and cell movements during early development of Xenopus.
2007,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase
Plantman,
Characterization of a novel rat model of penetrating traumatic brain injury.
2012,
Pubmed
Portugues,
The neural basis of visual behaviors in the larval zebrafish.
2009,
Pubmed
Roeser,
Visuomotor behaviors in larval zebrafish after GFP-guided laser ablation of the optic tectum.
2003,
Pubmed
Schmidt,
Cytoarchitecture and ultrastructure of neural stem cell niches and neurogenic complexes maintaining adult neurogenesis in the olfactory midbrain of spiny lobsters, Panulirus argus.
2011,
Pubmed
Sharma,
Visual activity regulates neural progenitor cells in developing xenopus CNS through musashi1.
2010,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase
Shen,
Inhibition to excitation ratio regulates visual system responses and behavior in vivo.
2011,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase
Spencer,
Outcomes of epilepsy surgery in adults and children.
2008,
Pubmed
Stahel,
The role of the complement system in traumatic brain injury.
1998,
Pubmed
Statler,
The simple model versus the super model: translating experimental traumatic brain injury research to the bedside.
2001,
Pubmed
Straznicky,
The development of the tectum in Xenopus laevis: an autoradiographic study.
1972,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase
Sullivan,
Adult neurogenesis: a common strategy across diverse species.
2007,
Pubmed
Sundholm-Peters,
Subventricular zone neuroblasts emigrate toward cortical lesions.
2005,
Pubmed
Thored,
Long-term neuroblast migration along blood vessels in an area with transient angiogenesis and increased vascularization after stroke.
2007,
Pubmed
Tibber,
Cell division and cleavage orientation in the developing retina are regulated by L-DOPA.
2006,
Pubmed
Wang,
Fluoxetine increases hippocampal neurogenesis and induces epigenetic factors but does not improve functional recovery after traumatic brain injury.
2011,
Pubmed
Wirsching,
Thymosin β4 induces folding of the developing optic tectum in the chicken (Gallus domesticus).
2012,
Pubmed
Witte,
In vivo observations of timecourse and distribution of morphological dynamics in Xenopus retinotectal axon arbors.
1996,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase
Xiong,
Angiogenesis, neurogenesis and brain recovery of function following injury.
2010,
Pubmed
Yoshino,
Successful reconstitution of the non-regenerating adult telencephalon by cell transplantation in Xenopus laevis.
2004,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase
Zhang,
FGF-2 Up-regulation and proliferation of neural progenitors in the regenerating amphibian spinal cord in vivo.
2000,
Pubmed
Zupanc,
Towards brain repair: Insights from teleost fish.
2009,
Pubmed
Zupanc,
Cell proliferation after lesions in the cerebellum of adult teleost fish: time course, origin, and type of new cells produced.
1999,
Pubmed