Abstract
Recent development of optogenetics brought non-invasive neural activation in living organisms. Transparent zebrafish larva is one of the suitable animal models for this technique, which enables us to investigate neural circuits for behaviors based on a whole individual nervous system. In this article we review our recent finding that suggests sensory-motor coordination in larval zebrafish escape behavior. When water vibration stimulates mechanosensory Rohon-Beard (RB) neurons, intra-spinal reflex circuit launches contralateral trunk muscle contraction that makes rapid body curvature for turning. In addition, positional information of the stimulus is conveyed to supra-spinal circuits, and then regulates the curvature strength for appropriate escape pathway from the threat. Sensory-motor coordination is a fundamental feature to adapt behaviors to environment, and zebrafish larvae would be an excellent model for elucidating its neural backbones.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 107-114 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Development Growth and Differentiation |
Volume | 59 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2017 Apr |
Keywords
- Channelrhodopsin
- Rohon-Beard neuron
- escape behavior
- optogenetics
- zebrafish
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Developmental Biology
- Cell Biology