Analysis of signaling pathways important in the specification and migration of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells in the zebrafish spinal cord

Abstract

During spinal cord development, precursor cells transition from proliferative divisions to differentiative divisions. Traditionally proliferative divisions, which increase cell numbers, are thought to be symmetric, whereas differentiative divisions are thought to occur both by symmetric and asymmetric divisions. Currently, the mechanisms that control this differentiative cell division fate remain to be defined. However, studies conducted using atypical protein kinase C (aPKC) suggests that aPKC has a conserved function in controlling cell division orientation. In this study, we look at the role aPKC may play in maintaining precursor division in the zebrafish spinal cord. Through time-lapse imaging and loss of function studies we were able to show that aPKC does regulate precursor division in the zebrafish spinal cord, and in its absence excess oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) are specified at the possible expense of adult precursors.