Abstract
Wnt reporter TOPgal mice carry a β-galactosidase (βgal) gene under the control of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling responsive elements. We found that the intensely immunolabeled βgal+ cells were co-immunolabeled with Nestin and formed a tangentially oriented single-cell layer in the "connecting or docking zone" where the olfactory sensory axons attached to the brain surface during mid-gestation. During early postnatal development, βgal+ cells were located in the inner olfactory nerve layer (ONLi) and co-labeled with olfactory ensheathing cell (OEC) markers S100β and NPY but not with lineage-specific markers for neurons, oligodendrocytes, astrocytes, and microglia, demonstrating that the TOPgal marked a subpopulation of OECs. By confocal microscopy, we found that TOPgal activated processes extended along the developing glomerulus and formed multiple tunnel-like structures that ensheathe and bridge olfactory sensory axonal bundles from ONLi to the glomerulus, which may play a key role in glomerulus formation and convergent sorting of the peripheral olfactory axons.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 3157-3168 |
Number of pages | 12 |
Journal | Developmental Dynamics |
Volume | 237 |
Issue number | 11 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Nov 2008 |
Keywords
- Convergent sorting
- Glomerulus formation
- Nestin
- NPY
- Olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs)
- Olfactory nerve layer (ONL)
- Olfactory sensory axons
- S100β
- TOPgal transgenic mice
- Wnt/β-catenin reporter
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Developmental Biology