Abstract

Experiments are proposed which will utilize the physiological, developmental and genetic attributes of the zebrafish system to study vertebrate oculomoter function. The overall general hypothesis is that conserved genetic and anatomical profiles within segmented compartments of the hindbrain , called rhombomeres, are responsible for the phylogenetic conservation of oculomotor behaviors in vertebrates.
Four specific aims are proposed to demonstrate the genetic basis of oculomotor function in the zebrafish with the expectation that these findings can be extrapolated to other vertebrates.
The specific aims propose to describe the structure and function of visual and vestibular neurons along with circuits that control individual oculomotor behaviors as well as to establish the embryonic origin and genotype of each subgroup derived from the rhombomeres. Identification of oculomotor phenotypes within unique rhombomeric units will allow structural and behavioral analysis of relevant single gene mutations permitting assignment of single gene correlates to behavior.

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Eye Institute (NEI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01EY002007-22
Application #
6125163
Study Section
Visual Sciences B Study Section (VISB)
Program Officer
Hunter, Chyren
Project Start
1976-09-30
Project End
2000-11-30
Budget Start
1999-12-01
Budget End
2000-11-30
Support Year
22
Fiscal Year
2000
Total Cost
$322,870
Indirect Cost

  Institution

Name
New York University
Department
Physiology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
City
New York
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
10016

  Publications

Ma, Leung-Hang; Grove, Charlotte L; Baker, Robert (2014) Development of oculomotor circuitry independent of hox3 genes. Nat Commun 5:4221
Straka, Hans; Baker, Robert (2013) Vestibular blueprint in early vertebrates. Front Neural Circuits 7:182
Bianco, Isaac H; Ma, Leung-Hang; Schoppik, David et al. (2012) The tangential nucleus controls a gravito-inertial vestibulo-ocular reflex. Curr Biol 22:1285-95
Lyons, Peter J; Ma, Leung-hang; Baker, Robert et al. (2010) Carboxypeptidase A6 in zebrafish development and implications for VIth cranial nerve pathfinding. PLoS One 5:e12967
Ma, Leung-Hang; Punnamoottil, Beena; Rinkwitz, Silke et al. (2009) Mosaic hoxb4a neuronal pleiotropism in zebrafish caudal hindbrain. PLoS One 4:e5944
Lambert, Francois M; Beck, James C; Baker, Robert et al. (2008) Semicircular canal size determines the developmental onset of angular vestibuloocular reflexes in larval Xenopus. J Neurosci 28:8086-95
Straka, H; Baker, R; Gilland, E (2001) Rhombomeric organization of vestibular pathways in larval frogs. J Comp Neurol 437:42-55
Graf, W; Spencer, R; Baker, H et al. (2001) Vestibuloocular reflex of the adult flatfish. III. A species-specific reciprocal pattern of excitation and inhibition. J Neurophysiol 86:1376-88
Nguyen, L T; Spencer, R F (1999) Abducens internuclear and ascending tract of Deiters inputs to medial rectus motoneurons in the cat oculomotor nucleus: neurotransmitters. J Comp Neurol 411:73-86
Nguyen, L T; Baker, R; Spencer, R F (1999) Abducens internuclear and ascending tract of deiters inputs to medial rectus motoneurons in the cat oculomotor nucleus: synaptic organization. J Comp Neurol 405:141-59

Showing the most recent 10 out of 22 publications