Molecular Mechanisms Directing Spine Outgrowth and Synaptic Partner Selection in Caenorhabditis elegans
Student Authors
Devyn OliverKellianne Alexander
Academic Program
NeuroscienceUMass Chan Affiliations
Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Neuroscience ProgramFrancis Lab
Neurobiology
Document Type
Journal ArticlePublication Date
2018-12-02Keywords
Caenorhabditis elegansDendritic spine
acetylcholine receptor
neurexin
synapse
Developmental Neuroscience
Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience
Nervous System
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
The development of the nervous system requires precise outgrowth, extension, and wiring of both axons and dendrites to generate properly functioning neural circuits. The molecular mechanisms that shape neurite development, in particular dendritic development, remain incompletely understood. Dendrites are often highly branched and coated with actin-filled, thorny protrusions, called dendritic spines, that allow for increased numbers of synaptic contacts with neighboring neurons. Disruptions in dendritic spine development have been implicated in many neurological disorders such as autism, schizophrenia, and Alzheimer's disease. Although the development of dendritic spines is vital for cognitive function, understanding the mechanisms driving their outgrowth and stabilization in vivo remains a challenge. Our recent work identifies the presence of dendritic spine-like structures in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and provides initial insights into mechanisms promoting spine outgrowth in this system. Specifically, we show that neurexin/nrx-1 is a critical molecular component in directing the development of synaptic connections and promoting spine outgrowth. Our investigation provides important insights into the molecular machinery that sculpt synaptic connectivity, and continuing efforts in this system offer the potential for identifying new mechanisms governing both synaptic partner selection and dendritic spine outgrowth.Source
J Exp Neurosci. 2018 Dec 2;12:1179069518816088. doi: 10.1177/1179069518816088. eCollection 2018. Link to article on publisher's site
DOI
10.1177/1179069518816088Permanent Link to this Item
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14038/40904PubMed ID
30546264Related Resources
Rights
Copyright © The Author(s) 2018. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 License (http://www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits non-commercial use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access pages (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage).Distribution License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.1177/1179069518816088
Scopus Count
Except where otherwise noted, this item's license is described as Copyright © The Author(s) 2018. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 License (http://www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits non-commercial use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access pages (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage).