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Nasal embryonic LHRH factor plays a role in the developmental migration and projection of gonadotropin-releasing hormone 3 neurons in zebrafish

  1. Ori Palevitch1,
  2. Eytan Abraham2,
  3. Natalya Borodovsky3,
  4. Gil Levkowitz3,
  5. Yonathan Zohar2,
  6. Yoav Gothilf1,*

Article first published online: 18 DEC 2008

DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.21823

Issue

Developmental Dynamics

Developmental Dynamics

Volume 238, Issue 1, pages 66–75, January 2009

Additional Information

How to Cite

Palevitch, O., Abraham, E., Borodovsky, N., Levkowitz, G., Zohar, Y. and Gothilf, Y. (2009), Nasal embryonic LHRH factor plays a role in the developmental migration and projection of gonadotropin-releasing hormone 3 neurons in zebrafish. Dev. Dyn., 238: 66–75. doi: 10.1002/dvdy.21823

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Neurobiology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

  2. 2

    Center of Marine Biotechnology, University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute, Baltimore, Maryland

  3. 3

    Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

*Department of Neurobiology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 61390, Israel

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 18 DEC 2008
  2. Article first published online: 18 DEC 2008
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 22 OCT 2008

Funded by

  • The United States-Israel Binational Agricultural Research and Development (BARD) Fund. Grant Number: 3428-03

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Keywords:

  • GnRH;
  • Kallmann syndrome;
  • NELF;
  • neuronal migration;
  • zebrafish

Abstract

The initiation of puberty and the functioning of the reproductive system depend on proper development of the hypophysiotropic gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) system. One critical step in this process is the embryonic migration of GnRH neurons from the olfactory area to the hypothalamus. Using a transgenic zebrafish model, Tg(gnrh3:EGFP), in which GnRH3 neurons and axons are fluorescently labeled, we investigated whether zebrafish NELF is essential for the development of GnRH3 neurons. The zebrafish nelf cDNA was cloned and characterized. During embryonic development, nelf is expressed in GnRH3 neurons and in target sites of GnRH3 projections and perikarya, before the initiation of their migration. Nelf knockdown resulted in a disruption of the GnRH3 system which included absence or misguiding of GnRH3 axonal outgrowth and incorrect or arrested migration of GnRH3 perikarya. These results suggest that Nelf is an important factor in the developmental migration and projection of GnRH3 neurons in zebrafish. Developmental Dynamics 238:66–75, 2009. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

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