Research article summary (published 30 May 2009):

Mechanisms of directional asymmetry in the zebrafish epithalamus.

Full Abstract

The epithalamus of zebrafish presents the best-studied case of directional asymmetry in the vertebrate brain. Epithalamic asymmetries are coupled to visceral asymmetry and include left-sided migration of a single midline structure (the parapineal organ) and asymmetric differentiation of paired bilateral nuclei (habenulae). The mechanisms underlying the establishment of epithalamic asymmetry involve the interplay between anti-symmetry and laterality signals to guide asymmetric parapineal migration. This event triggers the amplification of habenular asymmetries and the subsequent organisation of lateralised circuits in the interpeduncular nucleus. This review will summarise our current understanding on these processes and propose a sequential modular organisation of the events controlling the development of asymmetry along the parapineal-habenular-interpeduncular axis.

Author information

Author/s: Concha, Miguel L (ML); Signore, Iskra A (IA); Colombo, Alicia (A);

Affiliation: Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile. mconcha(-atsign-)med.uchile.cl

Grants: 55005940 (Agency:Howard Hughes Medical Institute)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Review

Journal: Seminars in cell & developmental biology (Semin Cell Dev Biol), published in England. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-Jun; vol 20 (issue 4) : pp 498-509

Dates: Created 2009/06/29; Completed 2009/10/08; Revised 2009/10/27;

PMID: 19560050, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 10/27/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Animals Epithalamus - embryology Functional Laterality

Functional Laterality Habenula Zebrafish

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