Zivkovic group

Zebrafish brain development and homeostasis

We are interested in how vertebrate central nervous system (CNS) develops and how homeostasis of the adult brain is maintained. Our main focus is on roles of Notch and Wnt signalling in establishment and maintenance of neural precursor/neural stem cells. To this end we employ forward and reverse genetics. Notch and Wnt signaling are essential for normal neural development. Aberrant function of these pathways in the adult brain has been implicated in neurodegenerative diseases.  We inquire into aberrant function of Notch and Wnt in Alzheimer’s. Disease by generating transgenic models in zebrafish.

About the research

Key publications
Paridaen, J.T., Danesin, C., Elas, A.T., van de Water, S., Houart, C., Zivkovic, D. (2009) Apc1 is required for maintenance of local brain organizers and dorsal midbrain survival. Dev. Biol.  (Epub ahead of print: 03.05.2009).

Boonen, R.A., van Tijn, P., Zivkovic, D. (2009) Wnt Signaling in Alzheimer’s Disease: Up or down, that is the question. Ageing Res. Rev. 8: 71-82.

Diks, S.H., Sartori da Silva, M.A., Hillebrands, J.L., Bink, R.J., Versteeg, H.H., van Rooijen, C., Brouwers, A., Chitnis, A.B., Peppelenbosch, M.P., Zivkovic, D. (2008) d-Asb11 is an essential mediator of canonical Delta-Notch signalling. Nat. Cell Biol. 10:1 190-1198.

Diks, S.H., Bink, R.J., van de Water, S., Joore, J., van Rooijen, C., Verbeek, F.J., den Hertog, J., Peppelenbosch, M.P., Zivkovic, D. (2006) The novel gene asb11 : a regulator of the size of the neural progenitor compartment. J Cell Biol. 174: 581-592.

van de Water, S, van de Wetering, M, Joore, J, Esseling, J, Bink R, Clevers, H, Zivkovic, D. (2001) Ectopic Wnt signal determines the eyeless phenotype of zebrafish masterblind mutant. Development 128: 3877-3888.

Publication list