Control of Precerebellar Neuron Development byOlig3bHLH Transcription Factor

Abstract
The rhombic lip (RL) is the neuroepithelium immediately adjacent to the roof plate of the fourth ventricle, and it gives rise to various brainstem and cerebellar cell types. Our study shows that the bHLH (basic helix-loop-helix) transcription factorOlig3is expressed in the progenitors of RL, and ablation ofOlig3significantly affects the development of RL. InOlig3−/− caudal RL, the expression level ofMath1in the dorsal interneuron 1 (dI1) domain is reduced, and the formation of four mossy-fiber nuclei is compromised; dI2–dI3 neurons are misspecified to dI4 interneurons, and the climbing-fiber neurons (inferior olive nucleus) are completely lost. In addition, the formation of brainstem (nor)adrenergic centers and first-order relay visceral sensory neurons is also dependent onOlig3. Therefore,Olig3plays an important role in the fate specification and differentiation of caudal RL-derived neurons.

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