d-Serine Inhibits Non-ionotropic NMDA Receptor Signaling.

NMDA-type glutamate receptors (NMDARs) are widely recognized as master regulators of synaptic plasticity, most notably for driving long-term changes in synapse size and strength that support learning. NMDARs are unique among neurotransmitter receptors in that they require binding of both neurotransmitter (glutamate) and co-agonist (e.g.

APP fragment controls both ionotropic and non-ionotropic signaling of NMDA receptors.

NMDA receptors (NMDARs) are ionotropic receptors crucial for brain information processing. Yet, evidence also supports an ion-flux-independent signaling mode mediating synaptic long-term depression (LTD) and spine shrinkage. Here, we identify AETA (Aη), an amyloid-β precursor protein (APP) cleavage product, as an NMDAR modulator with the unique dual regulatory capacity to impact both signaling modes.

D-Serine inhibits non-ionotropic NMDA receptor signaling.

Unlabelled: NMDA-type glutamate receptors (NMDARs) are widely recognized as master regulators of synaptic plasticity, most notably for driving long-term changes in synapse size and strength that support learning. NMDARs are unique among neurotransmitter receptors in that they require binding of both neurotransmitter (glutamate) and co-agonist (e.g.

Activity-Dependent Stabilization of Nascent Dendritic Spines Requires Nonenzymatic CaMKIIα Function.

The outgrowth and stabilization of nascent dendritic spines are crucial processes underlying learning and memory. Most new spines retract shortly after growth; only a small subset is stabilized and integrated into the new circuit connections that support learning. New spine stabilization has been shown to rely upon activity-dependent molecular mechanisms that also contribute to long-term potentiation (LTP) of synaptic strength.

Mother-Fetus Immune Cross-Talk Coordinates "Extrinsic"/"Intrinsic" Embryo Gene Expression Noise and Growth Stability.

Developmental instability (DI) is thought to be inversely related to a capacity of an organism to buffer its development against random genetic and environmental perturbations. DI is represented by a trait's inter- and intra-individual variabilities. The inter-individual variability (inversely referred to as canalization) indicates the capability of organisms to reproduce a trait from individual to individual.

Reduced d-serine levels drive enhanced non-ionotropic NMDA receptor signaling and destabilization of dendritic spines in a mouse model for studying schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia is a psychiatric disorder that affects over 20 million people globally. Notably, schizophrenia is associated with decreased density of dendritic spines and decreased levels of d-serine, a co-agonist required for opening of the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR). We hypothesized that lowered d-serine levels associated with schizophrenia would enhance ion flux-independent signaling by the NMDAR, driving destabilization and loss of dendritic spines.

Spike-timing-dependent plasticity rewards synchrony rather than causality.

Spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP) is a candidate mechanism for information storage in the brain, but the whole-cell recordings required for the experimental induction of STDP are typically limited to 1 h. This mismatch of time scales is a long-standing weakness in synaptic theories of memory. Here we use spectrally separated optogenetic stimulation to fire precisely timed action potentials (spikes) in CA3 and CA1 pyramidal cells.

Induction of input-specific spine shrinkage on dendrites of rodent hippocampal CA1 neurons using two-photon glutamate uncaging.

Shrinkage and loss of dendritic spines are vital components of the neuronal plasticity that supports learning. To investigate the mechanisms of spine shrinkage and loss, Oh and colleagues established a two-photon glutamate uncaging protocol that reliably induces input-specific spine shrinkage on dendrites of rodent hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons. Here, we provide a detailed description of that protocol and also an optimized version that can be used to induce input- and synapse-specific shrinkage of dendritic spines at physiological Ca levels.

The Effects of Sperm and Seminal Fluid of Immunized Male Mice on In Vitro Fertilization and Surrogate Mother-Embryo Interaction.

The latest vaccination campaign has actualized the potential impact of antigenic stimuli on reproductive functions. To address this, we mimicked vaccination's effects by administering keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH ) to CD1 male mice and used their sperm for in vitro fertilization (IVF). Two-cell embryos after IVF with spermatozoa from control (C) or KLH-treated (Im) male mice were transferred to surrogate mothers mated with vasectomized control (C) or KLH-treated (Im) male mice, resulting in four experimental groups: C-C, Im-C, C-Im, and Im-Im.

Mating with immunised male mice affects the phenotype of adult progeny.

The life-history theory suggests that parental experience of the environment is passed to offspring, which allows them to adapt to prevailing conditions. This idea is supported from the mother's side, but to a much less extent from the father's side. Here, we investigated the effect of immunising fathers on pre- and neonatal development and on immune and neuroendocrine phenotypes of their offspring in C57BL/6J mice.

Phenotypic variations in transferred progeny due to genotype of surrogate mother.

Study Question: Does the genotype of the surrogate mother modulate the body composition and immunity of her offspring?

Summary Answer: C57BL/6J (B6) progenies carried by immunodeficient NOD SCID (NS) mothers had increased adaptive but decreased innate, immune responsiveness in comparison with the same genotype offspring carried by immunocompetent mothers, B6 and BALB/c (C); the B6 progenies carried by the same genotype mothers also showed higher body fat than the others.

What Is Known Already: Differences in the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes between mother and foetus is considered as an important factor in prenatal embryo development, whereas the impact of such dissimilarity on the phenotype of the mature progeny is unclear.

Study Design, Size, Duration: Transplantation of two-cell mouse embryos into recipient females of the different MHC (H2) genotypes was used as an approach to simulate three variants of the immunogenic mother-foetus interaction: (i) bidirectional immunogenic dialogue between B6 (H2b haplotype) embryos and C (H2d haplotype) surrogate mother; (ii) one-way immunogenic interaction between B6 embryos and immunodeficient NS (H2g7 haplotype) surrogate mother and (iii) reduced immunogenetic dialogue between embryos and surrogate mother of the same H2b haplotype resulting in only a maternal response to HY antigens of male foetuses.

Unexpected phenotypic effects of a transgene integration causing a knockout of the endogenous Contactin-5 gene in mice.

Contactins (Cntn1-6) are a family of neuronal membrane proteins expressed in the brain. They are required for establishing cell-to-cell contacts between neurons and for the growth and maturation of the axons. In humans, structural genomic variations in the Contactin genes are implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders.

Fabrication of high-resolution nanostructures of complex geometry by the single-spot nanolithography method.

The paper presents a method for the high-resolution production of polymer nanopatterns with controllable geometrical parameters by means of a single-spot electron-beam lithography technique. The essence of the method entails the overexposure of a positive-tone resist, spin-coated onto a substrate where nanoscale spots are exposed to an electron beam with a dose greater than 0.1 pC per dot.