Abstract
Continuous production of new neurons and glia in adult mammals occurs within specialized proliferation zones of the forebrain. Neural cell proliferation and neurogenesis is more widespread in adult amphibians, reptiles, and fish but the identity of neural stem cell populations in these organisms has not been fully described. We investigated expression of a reporter gene driven by olig2 regulatory DNA at postembryonic stages in zebrafish. We show that olig2 expression marks a discrete population of spinal cord radial glia in larvae and adults that divide continuously. olig2(+) radial glia have hallmarks of stem cells and their divisions appear to be asymmetric, producing new oligodendrocytes but not neurons or astrocytes.
2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc
Publication types
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Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
MeSH terms
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Adult Stem Cells / cytology*
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Animals
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Animals, Genetically Modified
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Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors / genetics*
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Genes, Reporter
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Green Fluorescent Proteins / genetics
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Nerve Tissue Proteins / genetics*
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Neuroglia / cytology
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Oligodendrocyte Transcription Factor 2
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Oligodendroglia / cytology*
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Recombinant Proteins / genetics
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Spinal Cord / cytology*
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Spinal Cord / growth & development
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Zebrafish / genetics*
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Zebrafish / growth & development*
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Zebrafish Proteins / genetics*
Substances
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Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors
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Nerve Tissue Proteins
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Oligodendrocyte Transcription Factor 2
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Recombinant Proteins
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Zebrafish Proteins
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enhanced green fluorescent protein
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olig2 protein, zebrafish
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Green Fluorescent Proteins