Holzschuh, Jochen

The vertebrate brain has to regulate manifold functions to assure the correct function and survival of an organism. For this bold venture diverse neuronal networks with various types of neurons are built during the development of this organism. One of these networks is the sensory system, which detects information about an organism’s internal and external environment and thereby determines, in part, the response of the organism. The sensory neurons of the peripheric nervous system have afferent connections to hindbrain neurons, which are controlling the function of these organs and in turn are regulated by other hindbrain neurons e.g. noradrenergic neurons (NA). These NA neurons process information from peripheral and central sensory systems and therefore involved in the control of behavioral states, cardiovascular functions, nociception, sympathetic function and coordinate respiratory activity.
Defects in brainstem NA neurons are implicated in several human respiratory disorders, like congenital central hypoventilation syndrome (CCHS), central sleep apnea (CSA) and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Our laboratory aims to understand how signaling molecules and neuron specific transcription factors cooperate to regulate the differentiation of NA neurons in the brainstem and regulate the development of the respiratory network in zebrafish. With our research we hope to gain a better understanding of respiratory disorders in humans.
Our lab also studies the differentiation of neural crest cells to neurons of the sympathetic ganglia and enteric ganglia of the peripheric nervous system.