TY - JOUR
T1 - Complementary gradients in expression and binding of ELF-1 and Mek4 in development of the topographic retinotectal projection map
AU - Cheng, Hwai-Jong
AU - Nakamoto, Masaru
AU - Bergemann, Andrew D.
AU - Flanagan, John G.
PY - 1995/8/11
Y1 - 1995/8/11
N2 - Topographic maps with a defined spatial ordering of neuronal connections are a key feature of brain organization. Such maps are believed to develop in response to complementary position-specific labels in presynaptic and postsynaptic fields. However, the complementary labeling molecules are not known. In the well-studied visual map of retinal axons projecting to the tectum, the labels are hypothesized to be in gradients, without needing large numbers of cell-specific molecules. We recently cloned ELF-1 as a ligand for Eph family receptors. Here, RNA hybridization shows matching expression gradients for ELF-1 in the tectum and its receptor Mek4 in the retina. Binding activity detected with alkaline phosphatase fusions of ELF-1 and Mek4 also reveals gradients and provides direct evidence for molecular complementarity of gradients in reciprocal fields. ELF-1 and Mek4 may therefore play roles in retinotectal development and have properties predicted of topographic mapping labels.
AB - Topographic maps with a defined spatial ordering of neuronal connections are a key feature of brain organization. Such maps are believed to develop in response to complementary position-specific labels in presynaptic and postsynaptic fields. However, the complementary labeling molecules are not known. In the well-studied visual map of retinal axons projecting to the tectum, the labels are hypothesized to be in gradients, without needing large numbers of cell-specific molecules. We recently cloned ELF-1 as a ligand for Eph family receptors. Here, RNA hybridization shows matching expression gradients for ELF-1 in the tectum and its receptor Mek4 in the retina. Binding activity detected with alkaline phosphatase fusions of ELF-1 and Mek4 also reveals gradients and provides direct evidence for molecular complementarity of gradients in reciprocal fields. ELF-1 and Mek4 may therefore play roles in retinotectal development and have properties predicted of topographic mapping labels.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0029086140&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0029086140&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/0092-8674(95)90426-3
DO - 10.1016/0092-8674(95)90426-3
M3 - Article
C2 - 7634327
AN - SCOPUS:0029086140
VL - 82
SP - 371
EP - 381
JO - Cell
JF - Cell
SN - 0092-8674
IS - 3
ER -