Culture of Larval and Pupal Dendritic Arborization Neurons.

dendritic arborization (da) neurons are a powerful model for studying neuronal differentiation and sensory functions. A general experimental strength of this model is the examination of the neurons in situ in the body wall. However, for some analyses, restricted access to the neurons in situ causes difficulty; da neuron cultures circumvent this.

Mounting of Embryos, Larvae, and Pupae for Live Dendritic Arborization Neuron Imaging.

Live imaging approaches are essential for monitoring how neurons go through a coordinated series of differentiation steps in their native mechanical and chemical environment. These imaging approaches also allow the study of dynamic subcellular processes such as cytoskeleton remodeling and the movement of organelles. dendritic arborization (da) neurons are a powerful experimental system for studying the dendrite arbor in live animals.

Study of Dendrite Differentiation Using Dendritic Arborization Neurons.

Neurons receive, process, and integrate inputs. These operations are organized by dendrite arbor morphology, and the dendritic arborization (da) neurons of the peripheral sensory nervous system are an excellent experimental model for examining the differentiation processes that build and shape the dendrite arbor. Studies in da neurons are enabled by a wealth of fly genetic tools that allow targeted neuron manipulation and labeling of the neuron's cytoskeletal or organellar components.

Atypical Myosin Tunes Dendrite Arbor Subdivision.

Dendrite arbor pattern determines the functional characteristics of a neuron. It is founded on primary branch structure, defined through cell intrinsic and transcription-factor-encoded mechanisms. Developing arbors have extensive acentrosomal microtubule dynamics, and here, we report an unexpected role for the atypical actin motor Myo6 in creating primary branch structure by specifying the position, polarity, and targeting of these events.

Stages and transitions in dendrite arbor differentiation.

Neurons connect through dendrite arbors to receive inputs from their appropriate partners. The branching pattern, size, and input distribution in the arbor determine neuron function. Complex nervous system activity depends on creating and wiring a wide diversity of neuron types, each with a characteristic arbor organization.

Centrosomin represses dendrite branching by orienting microtubule nucleation.

Neuronal dendrite branching is fundamental for building nervous systems. Branch formation is genetically encoded by transcriptional programs to create dendrite arbor morphological diversity for complex neuronal functions. In Drosophila sensory neurons, the transcription factor Abrupt represses branching via an unknown effector pathway.

GDNF-induced cell signaling and neurite outgrowths are differentially mediated by GFRalpha1 isoforms.

Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) transduces signal and promotes neurite outgrowths in diverse neurons through the interactions of GDNF family receptor alpha 1 (GFRalpha1) and other co-receptors including Ret receptor tyrosine kinase and NCAM. GFRalpha1 is alternatively spliced into two isoforms, GFRalpha1a and GFRalpha1b, with five amino acids difference. In this study, we found that both GFRalpha1a and GFRalpha1b were expressed in various human tissues.

Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor and neurturin inhibit neurite outgrowth and activate RhoA through GFR alpha 2b, an alternatively spliced isoform of GFR alpha 2.

The glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and neurturin (NTN) belong to a structurally related family of neurotrophic factors. NTN exerts its effect through a multicomponent receptor system consisting of the GDNF family receptor alpha2 (GFR alpha2), RET, and/or NCAM (neural cell adhesion molecule). GFR alpha2 is alternatively spliced into at least three isoforms (GFR alpha2a, GFR alpha2b, and GFR alpha2c).

Absolute quantification of gene expression in biomaterials research using real-time PCR.

One major measurement of tissue-engineered constructs efficacy and performance is determining expression levels of genes of interest at the molecular level. This measurement is commonly carried out with reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). In this study, we described a novel method in achieving absolute quantification of gene expression using real-time PCR (aqPCR).

Glial cell-line derived neurotrophic factor and neurturin regulate the expressions of distinct miRNA precursors through the activation of GFRalpha2.

Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and neurturin (NTN) are structurally related neurotrophic factors that have both been shown to prevent the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in vitro and in vivo. NTN and GDNF are thought to bind with different affinities to the GDNF family receptor alpha-2 (GFRalpha2), and can activate the same multi-component receptor system consisting of GFRalpha2, receptor tyrosine kinase Ret (RET) and NCAM. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of short, non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression through translational repression or RNA degradation.

Tissue expression of alternatively spliced GFRalpha1, NCAM and RET isoforms and the distinct functional consequence of ligand-induced activation of GFRalpha1 isoforms.

Glial-cell-line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) exerts its effect through a multi-component receptor system consisting of GFRalpha1, RET and NCAM. Two highly homologous alternatively spliced GFRalpha1 isoforms (GFRalpha1a and GFRalpha1b) have previously been identified. In this study, isoform specific real-time PCR assays were used to quantify the expression levels of GFRalpha1, RET and NCAM isoforms in murine embryonic and adult tissues.