Working Group Odermatt
With studies on zebrafish, Prof. Dr. Benjamin Odermatt is treading an innovative path in establishing molecular biological, physiological and genetic foundations for the search for effective MS (multiple sclerosis) drugs.
The almost transparent larvae of the zebrafish serve researchers worldwide as a model organism. This is because many processes in the larvae's body can be easily observed under the microscope.
Together with AG Odermatt, the fish larvae at the University of Bonn, for example, were partially »humanised« by replacing one of their genes, which was described for MS, with the corresponding human gene. Professor Odermatt and his team are investigating how the zebrafish larvae form nerve tissue with the human gene.
Specific active substances that stimulate the formation of nerve tissue in »humanised« fish have an increased probability of also being effective in humans. And this is precisely where a great opportunity lies.
In cooperation with other research groups – also from outside Bonn – the Odermatt group is also dedicated to researching other diseases: These include congenital human embryonic malformations such as cleft palate, bladder and kidney disorders and infant tumours. The AG uses the transparent fish larvae to develop a better understanding of these diseases.
For this purpose, it has been possible for all scientific working groups to have fish larvae generated via core-facility zebrafish for several years.
Mr. Odermatt set up this Core Facility (CF) of the Bonn Medical Faculty and has been the scientific director of this CF since then.
Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Benjamin Odermatt
Research
Exploring myelination in vivo
Disorders of white matter »myelin« are the cause of many common neurological diseases. Despite the major involvement of oligodendrocytes in CNS myelination in health and disease, there are still many uncertainties when it comes to questions about the various factors that cause oligodendrocytes to provide proper initial myelination, remyelination, or even fine-tuning of myelination that enables CNS plasticity for learning and memory.
To better understand the influence of the different activities of glial cells and neurons on the myelination process, we aim to simultaneously observe this cell activity and myelination in zebrafish in vivo. Zebrafish are commonly used as a vertebrate model organism for neural development and myelination. In addition, the zebrafish has proven to be a powerful system for studying other cellular activities in vivo using fluorescent reporter proteins.
Understanding what protects our nerves
There are mainly two types of cells in our brain and nervous system. Nerve cells, also called neurons, are responsible for transmitting and processing electrical signals ...
Use of zebrafish to study and affect activity-dependent myelination in vivo
Disorders of white matter »myelin« are the cause of many common neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS) ...
Members of the Working Group
- There are currently no vacancies
However, highly motivated PhD students (e.g., Master Neuroscience), medical students (e.g., SciMed) and post-docs (e.g., DFG / DAAD) who are interested in joining our lab are always welcome to contact me by phone or email. Perhaps there are opportunities to apply for funding together.
Dr. med. Gabriel C. Dworschak
Dr. rer. nat. Nina Ishorst
Dr. rer. nat. Newshan Behrangi
Tobias Lindenberg
Dr. med. Caroline M. Kolvenbach
Effect of modulating glutamate signaling on myelinating oligodendrocytes and their development-A study in the zebrafish model
Turan F, Yilmaz Ö, Schünemann L, Lindenberg TT, Kalanithy JC, Harder A, Ahmadi S, Duman T, MacDonald RB, Winter D, Liu C and Odermatt B. (2021)
J Neurosci Res. 99(11):2774-2792; PMID: 34520578
Biallelic and monoallelic variants in PLXNA1 are implicated in a novel neurodevelopmental disorder with variable cerebral and eye anomalies
Dworschak GC, Punetha J, Kalanithy JC, Mingardo E, …. Lindenberg T, Yilmaz Ö, Odermatt B, Pehlivan D, Posey JE, Lupski JR and Reutter H. (2021)
Genet Med. 23(9):1715-1725
SLC20A1 Is involved in urinary tract and urorectal development
Rieke JM, Zhang R, Braun D, Yilmaz Ö, Japp AS, Lopes FM, Pleschka M, Hilger AC, Schneider S, Newman WG, …. Ludwig M, Schweizer U, Woolf AS, Odermatt B* and Reutter H* (2020)
Front. Cell Dev. Biol. 8:567
CNS myelin protein 36K regulates oligodendrocyte differentiation through Notch
Nagarajan B, Harder A, Japp A, Häberlein F, Mingardo E, Kleinert H, Yilmaz Ö, Zoons A, Rau B, Christ A, Kubitscheck U, Eiberger B, Sandhoff R, Eckhardt M, Hartmann D and Odermatt B (2020)
Glia 68(3):509-527
Rare Variants in BNC2 Are Implicated in Autosomal-Dominant Congenital Lower Urinary-Tract Obstruction
Kolvenbach CM, Dworschak GC, …., Odermatt B* and Hilger AC* (2019)
Am J Hum Genet. 104:994-1006
Further publications
- Humanized zebrafish as a tractable tool for in vivo evaluation of pro-myelinating drugs.
Häberlein F, Mingardo E, Merten N, Schulze Köhling NK, Reinoß P, Simon K, Japp A, Nagarajan B, Schrage R, Pegurier C, Gillard M, Monk KR, Odermatt B, Kostenis E, Gomeza J. Cell Chem Biol. 2022 Sep 9:S2451-9456(22)00315-4. doi: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2022.08.007. Online ahead of print. PMID: 36126653
- Automatic detector synchronization for long-term imaging using confocal light-sheet microscopy. Harder A, Nagarajan B, Odermatt B, Kubitscheck U. Microsc Res Tech. 2022 Aug 20. doi: 10.1002/jemt.24223. Online ahead of print. PMID: 36054690
- Glutaredoxin 2 promotes SP-1-dependent CSPG4 transcription and migration of wound healing NG2 glia and glioma cells: Enzymatic Taoism Wilms C, Lepka K, Häberlein F, Edwards S, Felsberg J, Pudelko L, Lindenberg TT, …. Bräutigam L, Odermatt B and Berndt C. (2021), Redox Biol. Online ahead of print. PMID: 34952462
- Effect of modulating glutamate signaling on myelinating oligodendrocytes and their development-A study in the zebrafish model Turan F, Yilmaz Ö, Schünemann L, Lindenberg TT, Kalanithy JC, Harder A, Ahmadi S, Duman T, MacDonald RB, Winter D, Liu C and Odermatt B. (2021), J Neurosci Res. 99(11):2774-2792; PMID: 34520578
- Biallelic and monoallelic variants in PLXNA1 are implicated in a novel neurodevelopmental disorder with variable cerebral and eye anomalies Dworschak GC, Punetha J, Kalanithy JC, Mingardo E, …. Lindenberg T, Yilmaz Ö, Odermatt B, Pehlivan D, Posey JE, Lupski JR and Reutter H. (2021), Genet Med. 23(9):1715-1725
- SLC20A1 Is involved in urinary tract and urorectal development Rieke JM, Zhang R, Braun D, Yilmaz Ö, Japp AS, Lopes FM, Pleschka M, Hilger AC, Schneider S, Newman WG, …. Ludwig M, Schweizer U, Woolf AS, Odermatt B* and Reutter H* (2020), Front. Cell Dev. Biol. 8:567
- Molecular basis for the distinct functions of redox-active and FeS-transfering glutaredoxins Trnka D, Engelke AD, Gellert M, Moseler A, Hossain MF, Lindenberg TT, Pedroletti L, Odermatt B, de Souza JV, Bronowska AK, Dick TP, Mühlenhoff U, Meyer AJ, Berndt C and Lillig CH (2020), Nat Commun. 10;11(1):3445
- CNS myelin protein 36K regulates oligodendrocyte differentiation through Notch Nagarajan B, Harder A, Japp A, Häberlein F, Mingardo E, Kleinert H, Yilmaz Ö, Zoons A, Rau B, Christ A, Kubitscheck U, Eiberger B, Sandhoff R, Eckhardt M, Hartmann D and Odermatt B (2020), Glia 68(3):509-527
- Rare Variants in BNC2 Are Implicated in Autosomal-Dominant Congenital Lower Urinary-Tract Obstruction Kolvenbach CM, Dworschak GC, …., Odermatt B* and Hilger AC* (2019), Am J Hum Genet. 104:994-1006
- Dynamic assembly of ribbon synapses and circuit maintenance in a vertebrate sensory system Okawa H, Yu WQ, Matti U, Schwarz K, Odermatt B, …., Lagnado L, Rieke F, Schmitz F and Wong ROL (2019), Nat Commun. 15;10:2167
- Synaptic Convergence Patterns onto Retinal Ganglion Cells Are Preserved despite Topographic Variation in Pre- and Postsynaptic Territories Yu WQ, El-Danaf RN, Okawa H, Pacholec JM, Matti U, Schwarz K, Odermatt B, Dunn FA, Lagnado L, Schmitz F, Huberman AD and Wong ROL (2018), Cell Rep. 25(8):2017-2026
- Mutations in γ-secretase subunit-encoding PSENEN underlie Dowling-Degos disease associated with acne inversa Ralser DJ, Basmanav FB, …., Busch M, …., Frank J, Odermatt B* and Betz RC* (2017), J Clin Invest. 127(4):1485-1490
- Uncoupling of neurogenesis and differentiation during retinal development Engerer P, Suzuki SC, Yoshimatsu T, Chapouton P, Obeng N, Odermatt B, Williams PR, Misgeld T and Godinho L (2017), EMBO J. e201694230
- ISL1 is a major susceptibility gene for classic bladder exstrophy and a regulator of urinary tract development Zhang R, Knapp M, ...., Schmidt JM, Winkler J, Yilmaz Ö, Pleschka M, ...., Yamada G, Odermatt B and Reutter H (2017), Scientific Reports 7:42170
- A synaptic mechanism for temporal filtering of visual signals Baden T, Nikolaev A, Esposti F, Dreosti E, Odermatt B and Lagnado L (2014), PLoS Biol 21:12
- The oligodendroglial precursor cell line Oli-neu represents a cell culture system to examine functional expression of the mouse gap junction gene connexin29 Söhl G, Hombach S, Degen J and Odermatt B (2013), Front Pharmacol 4:83
- Synaptic mechanisms of adaptation and sensitization in the retina Nikolaev A, Leung K-M, Odermatt B and Lagnado L (2013), Nat Neurosci 16:934-941
- Encoding of luminance and contrast by linear and non-linear synapses in the retina Odermatt B, Nikolaev A and Lagnado L (2012), Neuron 73:758-773
- Localization of Cadm2a and Cadm3 proteins during development of the zebrafish nervous system Hunter PR, Nikolaou N, Odermatt B, Williams PR, Drescher U and Meyer MP (2011), J Comp Neurol 519:2252-2270
- Computational processing of optical measurements of neuronal and synaptic activity in networks Dorostkar MM, Dreosti E, Odermatt B and Lagnado L (2010), J Neurosci Methods 188:141-150
- A genetically encoded reporter of synaptic activity in vivo Dreosti E, Odermatt B, Dorostkar MM and Lagnado L (2009), Nat Methods 6:883-889
- Ribbon Synapses Odermatt B and Lagnado L (2009), Squire LR (ed.) Encyclopedia of Neuroscience, volume 8, pp. 373-381. Oxford: Academic Press
- Ablation of Cx47 in transgenic mice leads to the loss of MUPP1, ZONAB and multiple connexins at oligodendrocyte-astrocyte gap junctions Li X, Penes M, Odermatt B, Willecke K and Nagy JI (2008), Eur J Neurosci 28:1503-1517
- Imaging pHluorin-based probes at hippocampal synapses Royle SJ, Granseth B, Odermatt B, Derevier A and Lagnado L (2008), Methods Mol Biol 457:293-303
- Retinal Circuits: Tracing New Connections Odermatt B and Lagnado L (2007), Curr Biol (Dispatch) 17:R607-609
- Clathrin-Mediated Endocytosis is the Dominant Mechanism of Vesicle Retrieval at Hippocampal Synapses Granseth B*, Odermatt B*, Royle SJ and Lagnado L (2006), Neuron 51:773-786
- Selective permeability of different connexin channels to the second messenger cyclic AMP Bedner P, Niessen H, Odermatt B, Kretz M, Willecke K and Harz H (2005), J Biol Chem 281:6673-6681
- New insights into the expression and function of neural connexins with transgenic mouse mutants Söhl G, Odermatt B, Maxeiner S, Degen J and Willecke K (2004), Brain Res Rev 47:245-259
- Distinct types of astroglial cells in the hippocampus differ in gap junction coupling Wallraff A, Odermatt B, Willecke K and Steinhäuser C (2004), Glia 48:36-43
- Connexin 47 deficient mice with enhanced green fluorescent protein reporter gene reveal predominant oligodendrocytic expression of Cx47 and display vacuolized myelin in the CNS Odermatt B, Wellershaus K, Wallraff A, Seifert G, Degen J, Euwens C, Fuss B, Büssow H, Schilling K, Steinhäuser C and Willecke K (2003), J Neurosci 23:4549–4559
- A method to determine the relative cAMP permeability of connexin channels Bedner P, Niessen H, Odermatt B, Willecke K and Harz H (2003), Exp Cell Res 291:25–35
- Functional expression of the new gap junction gene connexin47 transcribed in mouse brain and spinal cord neurons Teubner B, Odermatt B, Güldenagel M, Söhl G, Degen J, Bukauskas F, Kronengold J, Verselis VK, Jung YT, Kozak CA, Schilling K and Willecke K (2001), J Neurosci 21:1117-1126