, 2006). We identified Sema6D mRNA enriched in the chiasm in the rostral and middle sectors of the chiasm midline, similar to Nr-CAM mRNA ( Lustig et al., 2001 and Williams et al., 2006) ( Figure 1A). Sema6D colocalizes with Nr-CAM in RC2+ radial glia at the chiasm midline from E13.5 to E17.5 ( Figures 1B and 1C), although Sema6D expression extends dorsally along the ventricular zone of the third ventricle ( Figure 1A). In the retina, Sema6D is restricted to the optic disc, resembling the expression pattern of EphA4 in glial

cells at the optic nerve head ( Petros et al., 2006) (see Figure S1A available online). Sema6A and Sema6C are expressed in the region dorsal and lateral to the supraoptic area of the ventral diencephalon and, thus, are not candidates for regulating midline crossing ( Figure S1A). Sema3A, Sema3B, and Sema3D mRNAs are not expressed at the chiasm midline ( Figure S1A). The only known receptors for Sema6D are Plexin-A1 CHIR99021 and Plexin-A4, and these receptors can function in axon guidance independent of neuropilins (Takegahara et al., 2006, Toyofuku et al., 2004 and Yoshida et al., 2006). Plexin-A1 is expressed in the CD44+/SSEA-1+

early-born neurons caudal to the chiasm and in two oval groups of SSEA-1− cells caudal and slightly dorsal to the chiasm (Figure S1C). A raphe of Plexin-A1+/SSEA-1+ neurons extends between the palisade of Nr-CAM+/Sema6D+ radial glia that expresses Nr-CAM+/Sema6D+ (Figure 1D). In summary, Sema6D is expressed in Nr-CAM+ radial glia at the chiasm midline, and its receptor Plexin-A1 is expressed in the CD44+/SSEA-1+ neurons caudal to and intersecting the selleck chemical chiasm radial glia (Figure 1E). These expression patterns raise the possibility that Sema6D, Plexin-A1, and Nr-CAM might be involved in guiding RGCs across the chiasm midline. To identify the potential contribution Sodium butyrate of Sema6D in RGC divergence at the optic chiasm, we made use of our in vitro culture assay of uncrossed VT or crossed dorsotemporal (DT) retinal explants on dissociated

chiasm cells (Figure S2A). In dissociated chiasm cell cultures, 50.6% of cultured chiasm cells are RC2+ cells, almost all of which express both Sema6D and Nr-CAM, and 36.7% of cells are SSEA-1+ neurons, almost all of which express Plexin-A1 (data not shown). Axons from both DT and VT explants grow extensively on laminin substrates. When grown on chiasm cells, neurite outgrowth from VT explants was reduced by 68%, whereas DT explant neurite outgrowth was reduced only by 25% (DT plus chiasm was 0.75 ± 0.02 versus VT plus chiasm 0.30 ± 0.02; p < 0.01) (Figures S2B and S2C). Thus, on chiasm cells, crossed RGCs extend longer neurites than uncrossed RGCs, reflecting their differential behavior at the midline in vivo. Nonetheless, neurite outgrowth from crossed RGCs is moderately decreased on chiasm cells, suggesting the presence of inhibitory factors intrinsic to chiasm cells that dampen the growth of crossed RGCs and must be overcome during RGC traverse of the midline.