Publications by authors named "Ataulfo Martinez-Torres"
Article Synopsis
- Wnt signaling is linked to synaptic plasticity, but the exact mechanisms and components involved are not fully understood.
- Researchers found that exposure to the Wnt-5a ligand changes the threshold for inducing synaptic plasticity, promoting long-term potentiation (LTP) while inhibiting long-term depression (LTD) in hippocampal CA3-CA1 synapses.
- The study highlights that Wnt-5a signaling enhances synaptic efficacy by increasing excitatory postsynaptic potentials and involves complex interactions with JNK and NMDAR, which can be blocked by the antagonist sFRP-2.
Wnt-5a/Ca pathway modulates endogenous current and oocyte structure of Xenopus laevis.
Biochem Biophys Res Commun
December 2024
Article Synopsis
- - Wnt signaling is crucial for various cellular processes, and Xenopus laevis oocytes serve as an effective model to study these mechanisms, particularly for receptors like Frizzled 7 found in the CNS.
- - Using two-electrode voltage clamp recordings, researchers discovered that Wnt-5a affects the oocyte's membrane currents, resulting in changes to calcium-dependent currents, membrane depolarization, and alterations in potential and outward potassium currents.
- - Wnt-5a treatment improved oocyte viability and enhanced germinal vesicle breakdown compared to the control, indicating that Wnt-5a influences oocyte structure and signaling, contributing to a deeper understanding of the Wnt pathway's cellular effects.
Article Synopsis
- * The study specifically focused on oleic acid, the main component of olive oil, and its ability to improve the function of mutated cyclic nucleotide channels linked to retinal diseases.
- * Results showed that olive oil and oleic acid helped transport non-functional mutant channels to the cell surface, restoring their functionality and suggesting potential therapeutic uses.
Article Synopsis
- Astrocytes are complex glial cells in the central nervous system that play a role in regulating neuronal activity.
- The cerebellum, important for movement planning and motor learning, has deep cerebellar nuclei that serve as the main output for neuronal signals.
- This study aims to classify and describe the types and characteristics of astrocytes in the fastigial nucleus, using a transgenic mouse model that expresses GFP.
Article Synopsis
- Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) involve difficulties in social communication and interaction, with genetic and environmental factors like toxins and drugs linked to their development.
- Research using a mouse model exposed to the drug valproic acid (VPA) during pregnancy showed changes in repetitive behaviors and cognitive performance related to brain areas responsible for motor skills and learning.
- The study found that these behavioral changes corresponded with lower levels of proteins necessary for excitatory synapse formation, suggesting that prenatal exposure to VPA affects brain function and behavior associated with ASD.
Article Synopsis
- Researchers have identified a new type of cell in the dorsal section of the aqueduct of Sylvius, referred to as the dorsal aqueduct niche (DAN), which connects the third and fourth ventricles of the brain.
- DAN cells are located near the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and express markers indicating they may have stem cell-like properties, including the potential to generate new cells.
- Morphologically similar to tanycytes, DAN cells can proliferate and may play a crucial role in producing glial cells within the adult mouse brain.
Article Synopsis
- - The roof of the fourth ventricle (4V) is part of the cerebellum and contains a unique glial niche called the ventromedial cord, characterized by a mix of vascularization and diverse cell types, including tanycyte-like cells.
- - This ventromedial cord consists of biciliated cells that interact with the ventricular lumen but shows limited to no cell proliferation activity, despite the similar appearance to tanycytes, which typically have a high proliferative capacity.
- - The subventricular zone in the cerebellum includes various cell types such as astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and neurons, though their functions have not been thoroughly investigated; this review primarily focuses on
Article Synopsis
- MCTPs (Multiple C2 Domains and Transmembrane region Proteins) are related to other important proteins involved in processes like exocytosis and membrane trafficking, but their specific functions have not been thoroughly researched.
- They are found in endosomes and the endoplasmic reticulum, featuring three conserved C2 domains and two transmembrane regions across different species.
- Structural modeling and docking analysis of MCTP's C2 domains in C. elegans suggests they have calcium- and lipid-binding abilities, indicating that MCTPs likely play a crucial, calcium-dependent role in membrane function.
Article Synopsis
- * In adult cerebellum, particularly in Bergmann glia, glutamatergic signaling is essential for motor coordination, but the origins of calcium activity in these cells during development have not been thoroughly studied.
- * Research using transgenic zebrafish revealed that radial glia undergo significant morphological changes shortly after fertilization, with calcium activity becoming more prominent and dynamic as the cells mature, indicating important links between cell structure and function in brain development.
A poly (saccharide-ester-urethane) scaffold for mammalian cell growth.
Maykel González-Torres Marymar Becerra-González Gerardo Leyva-Gómez Enrique Lima Oswaldo González Mendoza
Cell Mol Biol (Noisy-le-grand)
November 2021
Article Synopsis
- * The study tested a new salt-leached scaffold made from chitosan and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate), supporting the growth of three different mammalian cell lines: HEK-293, i28 mouse myoblasts, and human dermal fibroblasts.
- * Results showed good attachment of cells to the scaffold, but i28 cells didn't differentiate properly, halting growth, indicating that while the scaffold supports some cell types, it may not be effective for all.
Article Synopsis
- Calcium-activated chloride channels (CaCCs), particularly TMEM16A and TMEM16B proteins, are crucial for various physiological processes and their dysfunction is linked to diseases like cancer, asthma, and hypertension.
- Inhibition of CaCCs in recent studies shows potential for treating some illnesses, but there are limited specific modulators available.
- The study identifies that GSK2193874 boosts chloride currents in TMEM16B and that GSK1016790A enhances native CaCCs, presenting these compounds as useful tools to further explore CaCCs and TRPV4 channels and their interactions.
Article Synopsis
- - Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are neurodevelopmental conditions in children characterized by delays in language and social skills, often linked to cerebellar dysfunction and sensorimotor deficits.
- - Studies indicate that astroglia, a type of glial cell, show increased GFAP expression in the cerebellum of ASD patients and play a role in intercellular signaling through calcium waves, which are important for neuronal development.
- - In a study using mice exposed to valproate (VPA), a model for ASD, researchers observed significant changes in calcium wave propagation in the internal granular layer of the cerebellum, including increased astrocyte recruitment and GFAP expression, suggesting enhanced functional activity associated with autism.
Article Synopsis
- - Cortical dysplasias result from issues in how neurons migrate during brain development, affecting the organization of the brain's cortex, but the impact on glial cells is less understood.
- - This study focuses on Bergmann glia (BG) in the cerebellum, which are crucial for neuron migration and motor control, to analyze their shape and calcium dynamics in a mouse model with induced cortical dysplasia.
- - Mice treated with the drug carmustine (BCNU) showed impaired motor coordination and balance, along with abnormal cerebellar structures, and both BG and astrocyte cells exhibited altered morphology and calcium activity.
Article Synopsis
- The fastigial nucleus (FN) is a key brain region in the cerebellum involved in coordinating eye movements, balance, feeding, and heart function.
- Researchers have identified a group of axons, called subventricular axons (SVa), which connect the two FNs and are part of a larger network of GABAergic neurons in the cerebellum.
- This study enhances our understanding of the FN's organization, but the exact role of these interconnections between the FNs is still unclear.
Article Synopsis
- The CLARITY technique allows researchers to see and analyze neuronal connections in the nervous system, particularly in the somatosensory system.
- This study utilizes CLARITY along with other techniques to trace neuronal pathways and study the distribution of substances like oxytocin and vasopressin in male Sprague-Dawley rats of varying ages.
- Results show that CLARITY is effective for combining different tracing methods, revealing important neuronal connections and the presence of oxytocin receptors, which could influence how sensory information is processed in the spinal cord.
Article Synopsis
- * In C. elegans, the gene mctp-1 is regulated by two promoters: one in the nervous system and another in the spermatheca.
- * Loss of mctp-1 function leads to egg-laying issues and reduced movement, and mutants show decreased sensitivity to the drug aldicarb, indicating that MCTP-1 may influence synaptic vesicle release.
Article Synopsis
- * The study focused on the role of a specific amino acid sequence, LCI, located near the selectivity filter GYG in HCN channels, which is not present in standard potassium channels.
- * Using experiments on frog oocytes, researchers discovered that the LCI sequence influences how HCN2 currents operate, particularly affecting ion permeability and gating, with the isoleucine (I) residue being especially important.
The ability of fishes to adapt to any aquatic environment seems limitless. It is enthralling how new species keep appearing at the deep sea or in subterranean environments. There are close to 230 known species of cavefishes, still today the best-known cavefish is Astyanax mexicanus, a Characid that has become a model organism, and has been studied and scrutinized since 1936.
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- The cerebellum plays a key role in movement coordination, with a focus on GABAergic neuronal types and glial cells during neurodevelopment.
- This study investigates the expression of functional GABA receptors in cerebellar white matter (WM) during postnatal development (P7-P9), revealing that many astrocytes synthesize GABA.
- Findings show distinct responses to GABA and its agonists among different cell populations, suggesting selective GABA receptor-mediated signaling in NG2 glia within the cerebellar WM.
Article Synopsis
- Researchers explored the four mctp genes in zebrafish (mctp1a, mctp1b, mctp2a, and mctp2b), examining their structure, expression during development, and role in adult tissues.
- They found that these genes are primarily active in the nervous and muscular systems, with different expression patterns starting from early development.
- Knocking down mctp2b using CRISPR/Cas9 led to impaired embryonic development, indicating its crucial role during early stages.
Article Synopsis
- The cerebellum has a specific area on the fourth ventricle's roof composed of glial cells and neurons that interact with cerebrospinal fluid, featuring a region called the ventromedial cord (VMC) that is GFAP and nestin-positive and associated with blood vessels.
- Researchers hypothesized that the VMC cells would react to hypoxic preconditioning (HPC) similarly to GFAP and nestin-positive cells in other brain areas that proliferate and differentiate under low oxygen levels.
- Their results showed that the VMC undergoes significant cellular changes during HPC, including the loss of certain proteins and retraction of cell processes, and while BrdU incorporation was not notably affected in the cerebellum, it
Article Synopsis
- Danio rerio (zebrafish) is an effective model organism for studying genetics and human diseases, particularly in neuroscience, due to its unique advantages like rapid development and shared neurobiological traits with humans.
- * Recent studies using CRISPR technology on zebrafish have significantly advanced our understanding of neuronal functions and brain disorders, showcasing the potential for this method in neurology.
- * Despite the progress made with CRISPR technologies in zebrafish, further interdisciplinary collaboration is essential to uncover the causes and treatments for various brain diseases.
Article Synopsis
- The study focuses on understanding how the TRPV4 channel affects retinal edema in diabetic conditions, particularly in diabetic macular edema (DME), potentially leading to new therapy options that could reduce healthcare costs.* -
- Researchers investigated the effects of TRPV4 inhibition in diabetic mice (induced by streptozotocin) by measuring retinal thickness and water mobility using advanced imaging techniques and histology.* -
- Findings indicated that TRPV4 inhibition prevents retinal edema by maintaining blood-retina barrier integrity and reducing structural damage, showing promise for future treatments targeting this pathway in diabetic retinopathy.*
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates the role of thyroid hormones (THs) in zebrafish embryonic development, focusing on specific molecular mechanisms and how different Tr isoforms influence gene expression.* -
- Experiments showed that low levels of TH exposure during early development didn't significantly affect embryo phenotype, but generating "crispants" (genetically modified zebrafish) revealed severe effects on symmetry and laterality linked to certain Tr isoforms.* -
- Key findings indicate that specific Tr isoforms act as transcription repressors for critical early development genes, highlighting their vital roles in regulating gene expression during zebrafish embryogenesis.*