Meeting Abstract

P2.117  Sunday, Jan. 5 15:30  Proliferation, migration, and survival of cells in the adult telencephalon of the ball python, Python regius BALES, TB*; STRAND, CR; Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo; Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo cstrand@calpoly.edu

Reptiles exhibit neurogenesis throughout the brain during adulthood. However, very few studies have quantified telencephalon-wide neurogenesis in adulthood, and no studies have performed these investigations in snakes. Quantifying neurogenesis in the adult snake is essential to understanding class-wide adult neurogenesis and providing insight into the evolution of this trait. To quantify cell proliferation, migration, and survival in the ball python (Python regius) we subcutaneously injected 100mg/kg BrdU into 15 adult male P. regius at 3 different time points (2 days, 2 weeks, 2 months) prior to sacrifice to quantify proliferation, migration, and survival of cells in several telencephalic subregions. After sectioning and immunohistochemical staining, we found proliferation to be highest in the anterior olfactory bulb (AoB), retrobulbar regions, dorsal ventricular ridge (DVR), posterior DVR (pDVR), septum (S) and posterior nucleus sphericus (pNS). Of the proliferating cells, the proportions of cells that migrated after 2 weeks were highest in the ventral lateral region (VL), anterior medial and lateral cortices (aMC, aLC), and anterior NS (aNS). After 2 months, the highest proportional survival was in the AoB, aLC, aMC, aNS, DVR, and ventral medial regions (VM). Regions involved in long-term functions like spatial memory may require less proliferation and longer survival, while regions involved in short-term functions undergo more proliferation with higher attrition.