Download or read book Synapse Construction in C Elegans written by Kerri Ann Spilker and published by Stanford University. This book was released on 2011 with total page 112 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Specification and assembly of synapses is a highly coordinated and regulated process. Knowledge of the position and connectivity of all C. elegans neurons makes it a highly useful organism for studying the underlying mechanisms that control synapse formation. Using cell-specific promoters and fluorescently-labeled synaptic vesicle proteins, we are able to monitor synapse formation in subsets of C. elegans neurons. Close observation of synapse formation in a single posterior motorneuron (DA9) led to the identification of a mutation in the alternative splicing regulator mbl-1 that changes the synaptic pattern. The cholinergic motorneuron DA9 is required for backwards locomotion and forms ~25 synapses onto both inhibitory neurons and body wall muscles in the dorsal nerve cord (DNC) of the worm. We found that the 10 most distal synapses of DA9 fail to form in mbl-1 mutants, visualized with the synaptic vesicle-associated protein RAB-3 and the active zone proteins SYD-2/liprin-α and UNC-10/Rim. In addition, some RAB-3 mis-localizes to the dendrite of DA9 and animals have a backwards locomotion defect consistent with a loss of synapses onto dorsal body wall muscles. mbl-1 is a member of the conserved MBNL (Muscleblind like) family of CCCH zinc-finger RNA binding proteins that regulate alternative splicing of target genes by directly binding to target mRNA. In the human disease myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1), a progressive muscular dystrophy, sequestration of MBNL proteins in nuclear foci leads to altered splicing of downstream genes. Mis-splicing of several genes is responsible for the muscular and cardiac symptoms present in individuals with DM1. Most work on the MBNL proteins has focused on their role in muscle morphogenesis and maintenance. However, C. elegans mbl-1 is expressed in a subset of motorneurons including DA9 and is required cell autonomously in these neurons to regulate proper synapse formation. Post-synaptic and muscle markers were unaffected in mbl-1 mutant animals. Thus, our work demonstrates that mbl-1 also functions in neurons to regulate synapse formation. In a separate set of experiments, we identified a new mutation in the coding region of the touch cell-specific beta-tubulin, mec-7(wy116) that causes a defect in synapse formation in the mechanosensory neuron PLM. Previous studies have shown that mec-7 is expressed exclusively in the six touch neurons of C. elegans and is required for sensing light touch. Our mec-7 mutation leads to a loss of synaptic vesicle accumulation at PLM synaptic sites in the ventral nerve cord and synaptic vesicles are visible at ectopic locations along the lateral axon of PLM. Localization of the synaptic proteins VAMP and GIT-1 is also defective in our mutant, but neuronal morphology is wild-type. mec-7(wy116) is mildly Mec, but other alleles of mec-7 (e1506, e1527) do not phenocopy the synaptic vesicle localization defect. mec-7(wy116) is a missense mutation that alters a highly conserved Thr at position 409 to Ile. Crystal structures of tubulin indicate that this residue is on the face of tubulin that interacts with kinesin motor. Because we see synaptic vesicles along the lateral axon of PLM, we believe that kinesin-mediated vesicle transport is less efficient in mec-7(wy116) mutants.

Download or read book Synapse Development and Maturation written by Pasko Rakic and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2020-05-29 with total page 560 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Synapse Development and Maturation, the latest release in the Comprehensive Developmental Neuroscience series, presents the latest information on the genetic, molecular and cellular mechanisms of neural development. The book provides a much-needed update that underscores the latest research in this rapidly evolving field, with new section editors discussing the technological advances that are enabling the pursuit of new research on brain development. This volume focuses on the synaptogenesis and developmental sequences in the maturation of intrinsic and synapse-driven patterns. - Features leading experts in various subfields as section editors and article authors - Presents articles that have been peer reviewed to ensure accuracy, thoroughness and scholarship - Includes coverage of mechanisms which regulate synapse formation and maintenance during development - Covers neural activity, from cell-intrinsic maturation, to early correlated patterns of activity

Download or read book Stochastic Processes in Cell Biology written by Paul C. Bressloff and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2022-01-10 with total page 724 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book develops the theory of continuous and discrete stochastic processes within the context of cell biology. In the second edition the material has been significantly expanded, particularly within the context of nonequilibrium and self-organizing systems. Given the amount of additional material, the book has been divided into two volumes, with volume I mainly covering molecular processes and volume II focusing on cellular processes. A wide range of biological topics are covered in the new edition, including stochastic ion channels and excitable systems, molecular motors, stochastic gene networks, genetic switches and oscillators, epigenetics, normal and anomalous diffusion in complex cellular environments, stochastically-gated diffusion, active intracellular transport, signal transduction, cell sensing, bacterial chemotaxis, intracellular pattern formation, cell polarization, cell mechanics, biological polymers and membranes, nuclear structure and dynamics, biological condensates, molecular aggregation and nucleation, cellular length control, cell mitosis, cell motility, cell adhesion, cytoneme-based morphogenesis, bacterial growth, and quorum sensing. The book also provides a pedagogical introduction to the theory of stochastic and nonequilibrium processes – Fokker Planck equations, stochastic differential equations, stochastic calculus, master equations and jump Markov processes, birth-death processes, Poisson processes, first passage time problems, stochastic hybrid systems, queuing and renewal theory, narrow capture and escape, extreme statistics, search processes and stochastic resetting, exclusion processes, WKB methods, large deviation theory, path integrals, martingales and branching processes, numerical methods, linear response theory, phase separation, fluctuation-dissipation theorems, age-structured models, and statistical field theory. This text is primarily aimed at graduate students and researchers working in mathematical biology, statistical and biological physicists, and applied mathematicians interested in stochastic modeling. Applied probabilists should also find it of interest. It provides significant background material in applied mathematics and statistical physics, and introduces concepts in stochastic and nonequilibrium processes via motivating biological applications. The book is highly illustrated and contains a large number of examples and exercises that further develop the models and ideas in the body of the text. It is based on a course that the author has taught at the University of Utah for many years.

Download or read book Ion Channel Regulation written by and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 1999-04-13 with total page 339 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Volume 33 reviews the current understanding of ion channel regulation by signal transduction pathways. Ion channels are no longer viewed simply as the voltage-gated resistors of biophysicists or the ligand-gated receptors of biochemists. They have been transformed during the past 20 years into signaling proteins that regulate every aspect of cell physiology. In addition to the voltage-gated channels, which provide the ionic currents to generate and spread neuronal activity, and the calcium ions to trigger synaptic transmission, hormonal secretion, and muscle contraction, new gene families of ion channel proteins regulate cell migration, cell cycle progression, apoptosis, and gene transcription, as well as electrical excitability. Even the genome of the lowly roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans encodes almost 100 distinct genes for potassium-selective channels alone. Most of these new channel proteins are insensitive to membrane potential, yet in humans, mutations in these genes disrupt development and increase individual susceptibility to debilitating and lethal diseases.How do cells regulate the activity of these channels? How might we restore their normal function? In Ion Channel Regulation, many of the experts who pioneered these discoveries provide detailed summaries of our current understanding of the molecular mechanisms that control ion channel activity. - Reviews brain functioning at the fundamental, molecular level - Describes key systems that control signaling between and within cells - Explains how channels are used to stimulate growth and changes to activity of the nucleus and genome

Download or read book Building a Presynaptic Specialization written by Andrew Bennett Hellman and published by Stanford University. This book was released on 2011 with total page 181 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The nervous system is comprised of a complex network of neurons that are connected by specialized structures called synapses. Each synapse contains a myriad of proteins that fulfill different functions, ranging from the release and reception of neurotransmitters to the maintenance and strengthening of the signals between neurons. Given the multitude of proteins present at the synapse, one question is how do they arrive and remain there? In my thesis, I use Caenorhabditis elegans to explore the cellular processes that contribute to the proper localization of important presynaptic proteins. In the first part of my thesis, I explored how presynaptic proteins are properly localized to the signal-sending process, called the axon, and excluded from the signalreceiving process, called the dendrite. In the motor neuron DA9, synaptic vesicles localize in a stereotyped region of the axon, but in cdk-5 mutants, 40% of the vesicle material is mislocalized to the dendrite. Chan-Yen Ou, a postdoctoral fellow in the lab, isolated a mutant that suppressed cdk-5, suggesting that the gene acts downstream or parallel to cdk-5. I mapped this mutant to the unc-101 locus, which encodes the μ- subunit of the AP1 complex. AP complexes are players in clathrin-mediated endocytosis, and the μ-subunit is the cargo recognition molecule within the complex. The AP1 complex plays a well-established role at the trans-golgi network in the cell body, but we present three results that suggest UNC-101 also acts at presynapses. The first result is the strong localization of UNC-101 at the synapse. The second result is that disrupting synaptic vesicle endocytosis (SVE) using genetic mutations causes a v similar phenotype as unc-101 mutations; animals mutant for unc-57/endophilin, unc- 26/synaptojanin, or dyn-1/dynamin 1 also suppress the cdk-5 dendritic phenotype. The third result is that the transport of synaptic vesicles from the synaptic region towards the dendrite decreases in an unc-101; cdk-5 double mutant compared to the cdk-5 single mutant, suggesting that UNC-101 is preventing retrograde flow from the synapses. While these results suggest a synaptic role for UNC-101, they do not exclude the possibility that UNC-101 also acts at the cell body. Indeed, I also show that UNC-101 affects the localization of postsynaptic proteins, which may occur by sorting proteins at the cell body. Additionally, postsynaptic proteins are unaffected by unc-57, suggesting an SVE-independent role for unc-101. Thus, I provide evidence that the AP1 subunit UNC-101 acts at presynapses and contributes to the molecular polarity of the DA9 motor neuron. The second part of my thesis contains my findings regarding a new system that I established to study synapse formation: the AFD thermosensory neuron. I found that the synaptic pattern in AFD is highly stereotyped, and I also isolated a mutant from a forward genetic screen that I mapped to the tax-4 locus. tax-4 and tax-2 encode two subunits of a cyclic nucleotide-gated channel that is necessary for sensory activity in AFD. When the genes are mutated, the localization of multiple presynaptic proteins is disrupted. Interestingly, they are not all similarly affected. Clusters of synaptic vesicles and the active zone protein SYD-2/liprin-α are dimmer and more numerous in tax-4 and tax-2 than wild-type animals. While SAD-1/SAD kinase clusters are also dimmer, there are fewer in tax-4 and tax-2 than wild-type animals. These results suggest that sensory activity can have different effects depending on the presynaptic vi protein. Thus, for the second part of my thesis, I describe the establishment of a new system to study synapse development, the results of a screen, and a link between neural activity and the localization of presynaptic proteins.

Download or read book Neural Circuits Revealed written by Mariano Soiza-Reilly and published by Frontiers Media SA. This book was released on 2015-09-14 with total page 183 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Deciphering anatomical and functional maps in the nervous system is a main challenge for both clinical and basic neuroscience. Modern approaches to mark and manipulate neurons are bringing us closer than ever to better understand nervous system wiring diagrams. Here we present both original research and review material on current work in this area. Together, this eBook aims to provide a comprehensive snapshot of some of the tools and technologies currently available to investigate brain wiring and function, as well as discuss ongoing challenges the field will be confronted with in the future.

Download or read book Index Medicus written by and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page 1666 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Vols. for 1963- include as pt. 2 of the Jan. issue: Medical subject headings.

Download or read book Cellular Migration and Formation of Neuronal Connections written by and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2013-05-06 with total page 1081 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The genetic, molecular, and cellular mechanisms of neural development are essential for understanding evolution and disorders of neural systems. Recent advances in genetic, molecular, and cell biological methods have generated a massive increase in new information, but there is a paucity of comprehensive and up-to-date syntheses, references, and historical perspectives on this important subject. The Comprehensive Developmental Neuroscience series is designed to fill this gap, offering the most thorough coverage of this field on the market today and addressing all aspects of how the nervous system and its components develop. Particular attention is paid to the effects of abnormal development and on new psychiatric/neurological treatments being developed based on our increased understanding of developmental mechanisms. Each volume in the series consists of review style articles that average 15-20pp and feature numerous illustrations and full references. Volume 2 offers 56 high level articles devoted mainly to Formation of Axons and Dendrites, Migration, Synaptogenesis, Developmental Sequences in the Maturation of Intrinsic and Synapse Driven Patterns. - Series offers 144 articles for 2904 full color pages addressing ways in which the nervous system and its components develop - Features leading experts in various subfields as Section Editors and article Authors - All articles peer reviewed by Section Editors to ensure accuracy, thoroughness, and scholarship - Volume 2 sections include coverage of mechanisms which regulate: the formation of axons and dendrites, cell migration, synapse formation and maintenance during development, and neural activity, from cell-intrinsic maturation to early correlated patterns of activity

Download or read book The Wiley Handbook of Evolutionary Neuroscience written by Stephen V. Shepherd and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2016-12-12 with total page 560 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Comprehensive and authoritative, The Wiley Handbook of Evolutionary Neuroscience unifies the diverse strands of an interdisciplinary field exploring the evolution of brains and cognition. A comprehensive reference that unifies the diverse interests and approaches associated with the neuroscientific study of brain evolution and the emergence of cognition Tackles some of the biggest questions in neuroscience including what brains are for, what factors constrain their biological development, and how they evolve and interact Provides a broad and balanced view of the subject, reviewing both vertebrate and invertebrate anatomy and emphasizing their shared origins and mechanisms Features contributions from highly respected scholars in their fields

Download or read book Cumulated Index Medicus written by and published by . This book was released on 1999 with total page 1860 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Behavioral Genetics written by Ronald A. Carson and published by Johns Hopkins University Press+ORM. This book was released on 2003-05-22 with total page 315 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Nine essays examining the ethical, cultural, legal, and biological underpinnings of behavioral genetics. Scientists conducting human genome research are identifying genetic disorders and traits at an accelerating rate. Genetic factors in human behavior appear particularly complex and slow to emerge, yet are raising their own set of difficult ethical, legal, and social issues. In Behavioral Genetics: The Clash of Culture and Biology, Ronald Carson and Mark Rothstein bring together well-known experts from the fields of genetics, ethics, neuroscience, psychiatry, sociology, and law to address the cultural, legal, and biological underpinnings of behavioral genetics. The authors discuss a broad range of topics, including the ethical questions arising from gene therapy and screening, molecular research in psychiatry, and the legal ramifications and social consequences of behavioral genetic information. Throughout, they focus on two basic concerns: the quality of the science behind behavioral genetic claims and the need to formulate an appropriate, ethically defensible response when the science turns out to be good. “This book is well written and stimulating. The issues it raises are important for scientists and for those working in the legal and social-services fields, but they clearly also have relevance for everyone.” —The New England Journal of Medicine “This . . . is the best introduction to behavioral genetics that I have read. The varying viewpoints . . . are presented with such clarity that [this book] should appeal to the general public and serve as a basic text for college courses.” —Jay Katz, Elizabeth K. Dollard Professor Emeritus of Law, Medicine, and Psychiatry, Harvey L. Karp Professiorial Lecturer in Law and Psychoanalysis, Yale Law School

Download or read book Building Brains written by David J. Price and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2017-09-25 with total page 698 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Provides a highly visual, readily accessible introduction to the main events that occur during neural development and their mechanisms Building Brains: An Introduction to Neural Development, 2nd Edition describes how brains construct themselves, from simple beginnings in the early embryo to become the most complex living structures on the planet. It explains how cells first become neural, how their proliferation is controlled, what regulates the types of neural cells they become, how neurons connect to each other, how these connections are later refined under the influence of neural activity, and why some neurons normally die. This student-friendly guide stresses and justifies the generally-held belief that a greater knowledge of how nervous systems construct themselves will help us find new ways of treating diseases of the nervous system that are thought to originate from faulty development, such as autism spectrum disorders, epilepsy, and schizophrenia. A concise, illustrated guide focusing on core elements and emphasizing common principles of developmental mechanisms, supplemented by suggestions for further reading Text boxes provide detail on major advances, issues of particular uncertainty or controversy, and examples of human diseases that result from abnormal development Introduces the methods for studying neural development, allowing the reader to understand the main evidence underlying research advances Offers a balanced mammalian/non-mammalian perspective (and emphasizes mechanisms that are conserved across species), drawing on examples from model organisms like the fruit fly, nematode worm, frog, zebrafish, chick, mouse and human Associated Website includes all the figures from the textbook and explanatory movies Filled with full-colorartwork that reinforces important concepts; an extensive glossary and definitions that help readers from different backgrounds; and chapter summaries that stress important points and aid revision, Building Brains: An Introduction to Neural Development, 2nd Edition is perfect for undergraduate students and postgraduates who may not have a background in neuroscience and/or molecular genetics. “This elegant book ranges with ease and authority over the vast field of developmental neuroscience. This excellent textbook should be on the shelf of every neuroscientist, as well as on the reading list of every neuroscience student.” —Sir Colin Blakemore, Oxford University “With an extensive use of clear and colorful illustrations, this book makes accessible to undergraduates the beauty and complexity of neural development. The book fills a void in undergraduate neuroscience curricula.” —Professor Mark Bear, Picower Institute, MIT. Highly Commended, British Medical Association Medical Book Awards 2012 Published with the New York Academy of Sciences

Download or read book Behaving written by Kenneth F. Schaffner and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2016-04-01 with total page 305 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Behaving presents an overview of the recent history and methodology of behavioral genetics and psychiatric genetics, informed by a philosophical perspective. Kenneth F. Schaffner addresses a wide range of issues, including genetic reductionism and determinism, "free will," and quantitative and molecular genetics. The latter covers newer genome-wide association studies (GWAS) that have produced a paradigm shift in the subject, and generated the problem of "missing heritability." Schaffner also presents cases involving pro and con arguments for genetic testing for IQ and for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Schaffner examines the nature-nurture controversy and Developmental Systems Theory using C. elegans or "worm" studies as a test case, concluding that genes are special and provide powerful tools, including "deep homology," for investigating behavior. He offers a novel account of biological knowledge emphasizing the importance of models, mechanisms, pathways, and networks, which clarifies how partial reductions provide explanations of traits and disorders. The book also includes examinations of personality genetics and of schizophrenia and its etiology, alongside interviews with prominent researchers in the area, and discusses debates about psychosis that led to changes in the DSM-5 in 2013. Schaffner concludes by discussing additional philosophical implications of the genetic analyses in the book, some major worries about "free will," and arguments pro and con about why genes and DNA are so special. Though genes are special, newer perspectives presented in this book will be needed for progress in behavioral genetics- perspectives that situate genes in complex multilevel prototypic pathways and networks. With a mix of optimism and pessimism about the state of the field and the subject, Schaffner's book will be of interest to scholars in the history and philosophy of science, medicine, and psychiatry.

Download or read book From Message to Mind written by Stephen S. Easter and published by Sinauer Associates, Incorporated. This book was released on 1988 with total page 394 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Handbook of Developmental Neurotoxicology written by William Slikker Jr. and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2018-01-04 with total page 618 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Handbook of Developmental Neurotoxicology, Second Edition, provides a comprehensive view of the fundamental aspects of neurodevelopment, the pathways and agents that affect them, relevant clinical syndromes, and risk assessment procedures for developmental neurotoxicants. The editors and chapter authors are internationally recognized experts whose collaboration heralds a remarkable advance in the field, bridging developmental neuroscience with the principles of neurotoxicology. The book features eight new chapters with newly recruited authors, making it an essential text for students and professionals in toxicology, neurotoxicology, developmental biology, pharmacology, and neuroscience. - Presents a comprehensive, up-to-date resource on developmental neurotoxicology with updated chapters from the first edition - Contains new chapters that focus on subjects recent to the field - Includes well-illustrated material, with diagrams, charts, and tables - Contains compelling case studies and chapters written by world experts

Download or read book Complex Networks written by Vito Latora and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2017-09-28 with total page 585 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A comprehensive introduction to the theory and applications of complex network science, complete with real-world data sets and software tools.

Download or read book Theory and Method In The Neurosciences written by Peter Machamer and published by University of Pittsburgh Pre. This book was released on 2017-03-15 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Theory and Method in the Neurosciences surveys the nature and structure of theories in contemporary neuroscience, exploring many of its methodological techniques and problems. The essays in this volume from the Pittsburgh -Konstanz series explore basic questions about how to relate theories of neuroscience and cognition, the multilevel character of such theories, and their experimental bases. Philosophers and scientists (and some who are both) examine the topics of explanation and mechanisms, simulation and computation, imaging and animal models that raise questions about the forefront of research in cognitive neuroscience. Their work will stimulate new thinking in anyone interested in the mind or brain and in recent theories of their connections.