Abstract
Astrocytes, the most abundant cell population in the central nervous system (CNS), are essential for normal neurological function. We show that astrocytes are allocated to spatial domains in mouse spinal cord and brain in accordance with their embryonic sites of origin in the ventricular zone. These domains remain stable throughout life without evidence of secondary tangential migration, even after acute CNS injury. Domain-specific depletion of astrocytes in ventral spinal cord resulted in abnormal motor neuron synaptogenesis, which was not rescued by immigration of astrocytes from adjoining regions. Our findings demonstrate that region-restricted astrocyte allocation is a general CNS phenomenon and reveal intrinsic limitations of the astroglial response to injury.
Publication types
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Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Astrocytes / physiology*
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Bacterial Proteins / metabolism
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Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors / genetics
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Brain / abnormalities
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Brain / cytology*
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Brain / physiology
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Brain Injuries / physiopathology
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Cell Movement*
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Green Fluorescent Proteins
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Homeobox Protein Nkx-2.2
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Homeodomain Proteins / metabolism
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Integrases / genetics
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Luminescent Proteins / metabolism
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Mice
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Mice, Transgenic
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Motor Neurons / physiology*
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Nerve Tissue Proteins / genetics
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Proteins / metabolism
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RNA, Untranslated
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Spinal Cord / abnormalities
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Spinal Cord / cytology*
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Spinal Cord / physiology
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Spinal Cord Injuries / physiopathology
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Synapses / physiology*
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Transcription Factors / metabolism
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Transcription, Genetic
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Zebrafish Proteins
Substances
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Bacterial Proteins
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Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors
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Gt(ROSA)26Sor non-coding RNA, mouse
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Homeobox Protein Nkx-2.2
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Homeodomain Proteins
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Luminescent Proteins
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Nerve Tissue Proteins
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Neurog3 protein, mouse
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Proteins
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RNA, Untranslated
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Transcription Factors
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Zebrafish Proteins
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yellow fluorescent protein, Bacteria
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Green Fluorescent Proteins
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Cre recombinase
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Integrases