抄録
occ1 is a gene that is transcribed preferentially in the primary visual cortex (V1) of macaque monkeys in an activity-dependent and a developmental regulated manner (Tochitani et al. 2001, 2003). Since the visual pathway is most evolved in the primate, the occ1 transcription pattern might be different between mammals. In the present study, transcription patterns of occ1 (and its mouse orthologue frp/tsc-36) were examined in mice, ferrets, marmosets and macaques. Although occ1/frp was transcribed strongly in various nuclei in the subcortical regions of each animal in similar patterns, expression patterns in cerebral cortices were quite different. occ1/frp mRNA expressions in the neocortex of mice and ferrets were very weak and had no regional specificity. The marmoset pattern was similar to the macaque pattern, although the region specificity in marmosets was less conspicuous than that in macaques. Since occ1/frp was transcribed in some sensory relay nuclei in each animal, not only macaque V1, the regulation of occ1/frp transcription by sensory input was examined with the deprivation of eye, olfactory epithelium and cochlear of mice. The occ1/frp transcription in each relay nucleus was not significantly affected by these sensory deprivations, showing occ1 in macaque V1 is regulated in a specific manner. These results imply that occ1/frp is involved in the evolution of the visual pathway. [Jpn J Physiol 54 Suppl:S215 (2004)]
