Transgenic zebrafish expressing green fluorescent protein in dopaminergic neurons of the ventral diencephalon

Dev Dyn. 2011 Nov;240(11):2539-47. doi: 10.1002/dvdy.22742. Epub 2011 Sep 19.

Abstract

We have generated a line of transgenic zebrafish, Tg(dat:EGFP), in which the green fluorescent protein (GFP) is expressed under the control of cis-regulatory elements of the dopamine transporter (dat) gene. In Tg(dat:EGFP) fish, dopamine (DA) neurons are labeled with GFP, including those in ventral diencephalon (vDC) clusters, amacrine cells in the retina, in the olfactory bulb, in the pretectum, and in the caudal hypothalamus. In the vDC, DA neurons of groups 2-6 are correctly labeled with GFP, based on colocalization analyses. MPTP (1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine) treatments induced a modest but significant loss of DA neurons in groups 2-6 of the vDC. This transgenic line will be useful for the study of DA neuron development and in models of DA neuron loss.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Genetically Modified
  • Cell Survival / genetics
  • Diencephalon / cytology
  • Diencephalon / embryology
  • Diencephalon / metabolism*
  • Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / genetics
  • Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / metabolism
  • Dopaminergic Neurons / metabolism*
  • Dopaminergic Neurons / physiology
  • Embryo, Nonmammalian
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
  • Gene Transfer Techniques
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / genetics*
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / metabolism
  • Transgenes / genetics
  • Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / genetics
  • Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / metabolism
  • Zebrafish / embryology
  • Zebrafish / genetics*

Substances

  • Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins
  • enhanced green fluorescent protein
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins
  • Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase