David Mawdsley, Denise Zannino and Heather Snell

We use transgenic reporter genes and time lapse imaging to observe oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) as they migrate from their origin to their target axons. We are testing the role of Netrin as a guidance cue for migrating OPCs and we are screening for mutations that disrupt oligodendroycte migration. Thus far, we have identified mutants in which OPCs fail to migrate, migrate too far in the spinal cord, or migrate out of the spinal cord.