Plexin-B2 regulates the proliferation and migration of neuroblasts in the postnatal and adult subventricular zone

J Neurosci. 2012 Nov 21;32(47):16892-905. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0344-12.2012.

Abstract

In the postnatal forebrain, the subventricular zone (SVZ) contains a pool of undifferentiated cells, which proliferate and migrate along the rostral migratory stream (RMS) to the olfactory bulb and differentiate into granule cells and periglomerular cells. Plexin-B2 is a semaphorin receptor previously known to act on neuronal proliferation in the embryonic brain and neuronal migration in the cerebellum. We show here that, in the postnatal and adult CNS, Plexin-B2 is expressed in the subventricular zone lining the telencephalic ventricles and in the rostral migratory stream. We analyzed Plxnb2(-/-) mice and found that there is a marked reduction in the proliferation of SVZ cells in the mutant. Plexin-B2 expression is downregulated in the olfactory bulb as interneurons initiate radial migration. BrdU labeling and GFP electroporation into postnatal SVZ, in addition to time-lapse videomicroscopy, revealed that neuroblasts deficient for Plexin-B2 migrate faster than control ones and leave the RMS more rapidly. Overall, these results show that Plexin-B2 plays a role in postnatal neurogenesis and in the migration of SVZ-derived neuroblasts.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antimetabolites
  • Brain Tissue Transplantation
  • Bromodeoxyuridine
  • Cell Movement / genetics
  • Cell Movement / physiology*
  • Electroporation
  • Female
  • Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / physiology
  • Hepatocyte Growth Factor / physiology
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • In Situ Hybridization
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Mutation / physiology
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / genetics
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / physiology*
  • Neurogenesis / genetics
  • Neurogenesis / physiology*
  • Neurons / physiology*
  • Olfactory Bulb / physiology
  • Prosencephalon / cytology
  • Prosencephalon / physiology*

Substances

  • Antimetabolites
  • Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • Plxnb2 protein, mouse
  • Hepatocyte Growth Factor
  • Bromodeoxyuridine