Genoarchitecture of the Early Postmitotic Pretectum and the Role of Wnt Signaling in Shaping Pretectal Neurochemical Anatomy in Zebrafish.

The pretectum has a distinct nuclear arrangement and complex neurochemical anatomy. While previous genoarchitectural studies have described rostrocaudal and dorsoventral progenitor domains and subdomains in different species, the relationship between these early partitions and its later derivatives in the mature anatomy is less understood. The signals and transcription factors that control the establishment of pretectal anatomy are practically unknown.

Wnt/β-catenin signaling in brain development and mental disorders: keeping TCF7L2 in mind.

Canonical Wnt signaling, which is transduced by β-catenin and lymphoid enhancer factor 1/T cell-specific transcription factors (LEF1/TCFs), regulates many aspects of metazoan development and tissue renewal. Although much evidence has associated canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling with mood disorders, the mechanistic links are still unknown. Many components of the canonical Wnt pathway are involved in cellular processes that are unrelated to classical canonical Wnt signaling, thus further blurring the picture.

TCF7L2 mediates the cellular and behavioral response to chronic lithium treatment in animal models.

The mechanism of lithium's therapeutic action remains obscure, hindering the discovery of safer treatments for bipolar disorder. Lithium can act as an inhibitor of the kinase GSK3α/β, which in turn negatively regulates β-catenin, a co-activator of LEF1/TCF transcription factors. However, unclear is whether therapeutic levels of lithium activate β-catenin in the brain, and whether this activation could have a therapeutic significance.

ST8SIA2 promotes oligodendrocyte differentiation and the integrity of myelin and axons.

ST8SIA2 is a polysialyltransferase that attaches polysialic acid to the glycoproteins NCAM1 and CADM1. Polysialylation is involved in brain development and plasticity. ST8SIA2 is a schizophrenia candidate gene, and St8sia2 mice exhibit schizophrenia-like behavior.