@article{594df34e50ad4d7cb4cb58dc9f847fad,
title = "Origin of a Non-Clarke's Column Division of the Dorsal Spinocerebellar Tract and the Role of Caudal Proprioceptive Neurons in Motor Function",
abstract = "Proprioception, the sense of limb and body position, is essential for generating proper movement. Unconscious proprioceptive information travels through cerebellar-projecting neurons in the spinal cord and medulla. The progenitor domain defined by the basic-helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor, ATOH1, has been implicated in forming these cerebellar-projecting neurons; however, their precise contribution to proprioceptive tracts and motor behavior is unknown. Significantly, we demonstrate that Atoh1-lineage neurons in the spinal cord reside outside Clarke's column (CC), a main contributor of neurons relaying hindlimb proprioception, despite giving rise to the anatomical and functional correlate of CC in the medulla, the external cuneate nucleus (ECu), which mediates forelimb proprioception. Elimination of caudal Atoh1-lineages results in mice with relatively normal locomotion but unable to perform coordinated motor tasks. Altogether, we reveal that proprioceptive nuclei in the spinal cord and medulla develop from more than one progenitor source, suggesting an avenue to uncover distinct proprioceptive functions.",
author = "Rachel Yuengert and Kei Hori and Kibodeaux, {Erin E.} and McClellan, {Jacob X.} and Morales, {Justin E.} and Huang, {Teng Wei P} and Neul, {Jeffrey L.} and Lai, {Helen C.}",
note = "Funding Information: We thank L. Gan for the Atoh1 Cre/+ mice, G. Fishell for the Atoh1::CreER T2 transgenic mice, S. Arber for the Tau LSL-mGFP mice, T. Jessell for the rabbit anti-LHX2/9 and ISL1/2 antibodies and Lhx2 and Gdnf ISH probes, S. Pfaff for the rabbit anti-HB9 antibody, T. Saito for the Barhl2 ISH probe, and R. Seal for the Vglut1 ISH probe. We are eternally indebted to Dr. Jane E. Johnson for her unwavering support and continuing partnership. We thank members of the following UTSW Core facilities for their time and essential expertise: S. Birnbaum and L. Peca (Behavior Core), E. Plautz and S. Rovnisky (Neuro-Models Core), I. Bowen (Quantitative Morphology Core), J. Shelton (Histology Core), and D. Ramirez (Whole Brain Imaging Facility). Thanks to H. Zoghbi for helpful direction, P. Gray for invaluable discussions, K. Huber and J. Gibson for guidance and resources, and T. Vue and E. Kim for critical reading of the manuscript. Many thanks to J. Wilkerson, D. Crawford, J. Fan, M. Borromeo, and T. Savage and members of the Huber, Gibson, and Johnson labs for technical assistance. This work was supported by the Sara and Frank McKnight Fellow program to H.C.L and NIH/NICHD HD062553 to J.L.N. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2015 The Authors.",
year = "2015",
month = nov,
day = "10",
doi = "10.1016/j.celrep.2015.09.064",
language = "English (US)",
volume = "13",
pages = "1258--1271",
journal = "Cell Reports",
issn = "2211-1247",
publisher = "Cell Press",
number = "6",
}