In vertebrates, the excitatory synaptic drive for inducing spinal central pattern generators (CPGs) — which are responsible for generating rhythmic movements — can originate from either supraspinal glutamatergic inputs or from within the spinal cord. A spinal input to the CPG is now identified using a combination of intersectional gene expression and optogenetics in zebrafish larvae; the results reveal that during early development Kolmer–Agduhr cells provide a positive drive to the spinal CPG for spontaneous locomotion.
- Claire Wyart
- Filippo Del Bene
- Ehud Y. Isacoff
