bHLH Factor Math5 Regulates RGC Neurogenesis
Mouse retinal neurogenesis initiates at early E11 in the dorso-central optic cup with the appearance of Math5 (Top panels, Figure 1). Math5 (mouse atonal homologue) encodes a transcription factor with a bHLH domain. Math5 is expressed by retinal progenitors, not mature RGC neurons. Previously, we created a targeted deletion of Math5 that causes the complete loss of RGCs, optic nerves and chiasmata (Figure 2) and an increase in cone photoreceptors (Bottom panels in Figure 1). Thus, mutant retinal progenitors are thought to
Besides investigating the retinal phenotypes of Math5 mutant mice, we have created two tools for studying cells that express Math5. In the first, we inserted the bacterial LacZ gene into the Math5 locus in our targeted deletion experiment. This allows us to visualize many of the retinal cells that express Math5 (Figure 1). More recently we have made transgenic mice that contain Math5 regulatory regions driving the expression of the jellyfish protein GFP (see research describing Math5 regulation). Both the LacZ and GFP reporters persist long enough during retinal development to mark the RGC axons growing into the forming optic nerve lumen and onwards to the brain (Figure 3).
Contact Us
The Brown laboratory is part of the Division of Developmental Biology and the Department of Ophthalmology at Cincinnati Children's Research Foundation and the University of Cincinnati School of Medicine. Our lab is located in Location R (Research Foundation Building), Room 1455.
Our laboratory participates in pre- and post-doctoral training through the Molecular and Developmental Biology and Neuroscience Programs. Inquiries from interested trainees are always welcome.
For more information, please contact Nadean Brown at 513-636-1963 (nadean.brown@cchmc.org).
