GATA-3 is involved in the development of serotonergic neurons in the caudal raphe nuclei

Abstract The GATA-3 transcription factor shows a specific and restricted expression pattern in the developing and adult mouse brain. In the present study we investigated the role of GATA-3 in the caudal raphe system, which is known to operate as a modulator of motor activity. We demonstrate that virtually all neurons in the caudal raphe nuclei that express GATA-3 also produce serotonin. Absence of GATA-3, as analyzed in chimeric -/- mice, affects the cytoarchitecture of serotonergic neurons in the caudal raphe nuclei. As a result the chimeras show a serious defect in their locomotor performance on a rotating rod. In sum, we conclude that GATA-3 plays a major role in the development of the serotonergic neurons of the caudal raphe nuclei, and that it is crucial for their role in locomotion

Organization of cerebral projections to identified cerebellar zones in the posterior cerebellum of the rat

The cerebrocerebellar connection makes use of two of the largest fiber tracts in the mammalian brain, i.e., the cerebral and medial cerebellar peduncles. Neuroanatomical approaches aimed to elucidate the organization of this important connection have been hindered by its multisynaptic nature, the complex organization of its components, and the dependency of conventional tracers on precisely placed injections. To overcome these problems, we used rabies virus (RV) as a retrograde transneuronal tracer. RV was injected simultaneously with cholera toxin βsubunit (CTb) into selected areas of the cerebellar cortex of 18 male Wistar rats. A survival time of 48 -50