Immunohistochemical analysis of Pax6 and Pax7 expression in the CNS of adult Xenopus laevis

Pax6 and Pax7 are transcription factors essential for the development of the CNS. In addition, increasing data, mainly obtained in amniotes, support that they are expressed in subsets of neurons in the adult, likely playing a role in maintaining neuron type identity. In the present study we analyzed the detailed distribution of Pax6 and Pax7 cells in the adult CNS of Xenopus laevis. Immunohistochemistry with antibodies that are required for high-resolution analysis of Pax-expressing cells was conducted. A wide distribution of Pax6 and Pax7 cells throughout the CNS was detected, with distinct patterns that showed only slight overlapping. Only Pax6 was expressed in the telencephalon, including the olfactory bulbs, septum, striatum and amygdaloid complex. In the diencephalon, Pax6 and Pax7 were distinct in the alar and basal parts, respectively, of prosomere 3. Large numbers of Pax6 and Pax7 cells were distributed in the pretectal region (alar plate of prosomere 1) but only Pax6 cells extended into basal plate. Pax7 specifically labeled cells in the optic tectum, including the ventricular zone, and Pax6 cells were the only cells found in the tegmentum. Pax6 was found in most granule cells of the cerebellum and Pax7 expression was found only in the ventricular zone. In the rostral rhombomere 1, Pax7 labeling was detected in cells of the ventricular zone of the alar plate, but numerous migrated cells were located in the basal plate, including the griseum centrale and the interpeduncular nucleus. Pax6 cells also formed a column of scattered neurons in the reticular formation and were found in the octavolateral area. The rhombencephalic ventricular zone of the alar plate expressed Pax7. Dorsal Pax7 cells and ventral Pax6 cells were found along the spinal cord separated from the ventricle, which did not show immunoreactivity. Our results show that the expression of Pax6 and Pax7 is widely maintained in the adult brain of Xenopus, like in urodele amphibians and in contrast to the situation described in amniotes. Therefore, in amphibians these transcription factors seem to be needed to maintain specific entities of subpopulations of neurons in the adult CNS.