High impact information on ntn1a

• In an effort to better understand the regulation of netrins, we examined the expression of netrin-1a in mutant cyclops, no tail, and floating head zebrafish embryos, in which axial midline structures are perturbed [1].
• Netrin-1a expression requires signals present in notochord and floor plate cells [1].
• The spatiotemporal relationship of netrin-1a expression and extending growth cones further suggests that netrins may act to delineate specific pathways and stimulate axonal outgrowth in addition to attracting and repelling growth cones [2].
• Despite significant sequence similarity with netrin 1a/netrin 1b, netrin 2 displays a unique expression pattern [3].
• Disruption of the Unc5b gene in mice, or of Unc5b or netrin-1a in zebrafish, leads to aberrant extension of endothelial tip cell filopodia, excessive vessel branching and abnormal navigation [4].

Anatomical context of ntn1a

• Furthermore, aberrant outgrowth by commissural growth cones in the spinal cords of floating head mutants, in which netrin-1a expression is altered, is consistent with an in vivo, chemoattractive action of netrin-1a [2].

Associations of ntn1a with chemical compounds

• In mammals, there are three genes encoding Netrins, whereas in zebrafish, only the Netrin 1 orthologs netrin 1a and netrin 1b have been identified [3].

References