Blast waves from detonated military explosive reduce GluR1 and synaptophysin levels in hippocampal slice cultures.

Explosives create shockwaves that cause blast-induced neurotrauma, one of the most common types of traumatic brain injury (TBI) linked to military service. Blast-induced TBIs are often associated with reduced cognitive and behavioral functions due to a variety of factors. To study the direct effects of military explosive blasts on brain tissue, we removed systemic factors by utilizing rat hippocampal slice cultures.

Structural and functional connectivity between the lateral posterior-pulvinar complex and primary visual cortex in the ferret.

The role of higher-order thalamic structures in sensory processing remains poorly understood. Here, we used the ferret (Mustela putorius furo) as a novel model species for the study of the lateral posterior (LP)-pulvinar complex and its structural and functional connectivity with area 17 [primary visual cortex (V1)]. We found reciprocal anatomical connections between the lateral part of the LP nucleus of the LP-pulvinar complex (LPl) and V1.

Developmental disruptions underlying brain abnormalities in ciliopathies.

Primary cilia are essential conveyors of signals underlying major cell functions. Cerebral cortical progenitors and neurons have a primary cilium. The significance of cilia function for brain development and function is evident in the plethora of developmental brain disorders associated with human ciliopathies.

Differential regulation of microtubule severing by APC underlies distinct patterns of projection neuron and interneuron migration.

Coordinated migration of distinct classes of neurons to appropriate positions leads to the formation of functional neuronal circuitry in the cerebral cortex. The two major classes of cortical neurons, interneurons and projection neurons, utilize distinctly different modes (radial versus tangential) and routes of migration to arrive at their final positions in the cerebral cortex. Here, we show that adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) modulates microtubule (MT) severing in interneurons to facilitate tangential mode of interneuron migration, but not the glial-guided, radial migration of projection neurons.

Arl13b-regulated cilia activities are essential for polarized radial glial scaffold formation.

The construction of cerebral cortex begins with the formation of radial glia. Once formed, polarized radial glial cells divide either symmetrically or asymmetrically to balance appropriate production of progenitor cells and neurons. Following birth, neurons use the processes of radial glia as scaffolding for oriented migration.

The F-BAR domains from srGAP1, srGAP2 and srGAP3 regulate membrane deformation differently.

Coordination of membrane deformation and cytoskeletal dynamics lies at the heart of many biological processes critical for cell polarity, motility and morphogenesis. We have recently shown that Slit-Robo GTPase-activating protein 2 (srGAP2) regulates neuronal morphogenesis through the ability of its F-BAR domain to regulate membrane deformation and induce filopodia formation. Here, we demonstrate that the F-BAR domains of two closely related family members, srGAP1 and srGAP3 [designated F-BAR(1) and F-BAR(3), respectively] display significantly different membrane deformation properties in non-neuronal COS7 cells and in cortical neurons.

Fluorescence lifetime dynamics of enhanced green fluorescent protein in protein aggregates with expanded polyglutamine.

Protein aggregation is one of the characteristic steps in a number of neurodegenerative diseases eventually leading to neuronal death and thorough study of aggregation is required for the development of effective therapy. We apply fluorescence lifetime imaging for the characterization of the fluorescence dynamics of the enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) in fusion with the polyQ-expanded polyglutamine stretch. At the expansion of polyQ above 39 residues, it has an inherent propensity to form amyloid-like fibrils and aggregates, and is responsible for Huntington's disease.

Application of fluorescence resonance energy transfer resolved by fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy for the detection of enterovirus 71 infection in cells.

Timely and effective virus infection detection is critical for the clinical management and prevention of the disease spread in communities during an outbreak. A range of methods have been developed for this purpose, of which classical serological and viral nucleic acids detection are the most popular. We describe an alternative, imaging-based approach that utilizes fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) resolved by fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) and demonstrate it on the example of enterovirus 71 (EV71) infection detection.