Faculty Sponsor
Masaru Nakamoto
College
Arts and Sciences
Department/Program
Biology
Presentation Type
Poster Presentation
Symposium Date
Summer 7-23-2021
Abstract
Correct functioning of the nervous system critically depends on the formation of the precise neuronal network. For example, axons of retinal ganglion cells from the right and left eyes project to different domains in the lateral geniculate nucleus of the thalamus. This eye-specific retinogeniculate projection provides the anatomical basis for binocular vision. Nell2 (neural epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like-like-2) is an extracellular glycoprotein that is predominately expressed in the nervous system. Our lab has previously shown that Nell2 acts as an inhibitory axon guidance molecule in the establishment of the eye-specific retinogeniculate projection. The current work aims to identify the Nell2 receptor in the retinal axon guidance. By using immunohistochemistry, we found that the receptor tyrosine kinase Ros1, which binds to Nell2, is expressed in the developing chick retinal ganglion cells. Our results suggest that Ros1 may act as a receptor for Nell2 in the retinal ganglion cells and play a significant role in the establishment of the eye-specific retinogeniculate projection.
Recommended Citation
Baker, Elaina and Nakamoto, Masaru, "Molecular Mechanisms that establish the eye-specific visual projection" (2021). Summer Interdisciplinary Research Symposium. 95.
https://scholar.valpo.edu/sires/95
