Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Multiple functions for the cadherin/catenin complex during neuronal development.

Xiang Yu1, Robert C Malenka

  • 1Nancy Friend Pritzker Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5485, USA. yuxiang@stanford.edu

Neuropharmacology
|October 2, 2004
PubMed
Summary

The cadherin/catenin complex influences neuronal development. Overexpressing beta-catenin promotes axonal growth and dendritic branching, while blocking it hinders these processes, showing dynamic roles in neuronal maturation.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Advancing Clinical Translational Research for Profound Autism.

Biological psychiatry·2026
Same author

Local control of dopamine release in nucleus accumbens gates opioid withdrawal aversion.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Dopamine and serotonin inversely modulate D2 medium spiny neurons to regulate cocaine reward.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

Serotonin modulates nucleus accumbens circuits to suppress aggression in mice.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

Cholinergic modulation of dopamine release drives effortful behaviour.

Nature·2026
Same author

No evidence of immediate or persistent analgesic effect from a single dose of psilocybin in three mouse models of pain.

Nature communications·2026

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cell Biology
  • Developmental Biology

Background:

  • The cadherin/catenin complex is a key transmembrane signaling complex.
  • It influences the cytoskeleton and plays roles in neural circuit formation and maturation.
  • Previous studies showed manipulation of this complex affects dendritic arborization in hippocampal neurons.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effects of manipulating beta-catenin levels on neuronal morphology at different developmental stages.
  • To examine the impact of overexpressing beta-catenin (GFP-beta-cat(*)) and sequestering it (Ncad(intra)) in cultured hippocampal neurons.

Main Methods:

  • Cultured hippocampal neurons were transfected at different time points (1, 3, and 12 days in vitro).
  • Overexpression of GFP-beta-catenin and sequestration of endogenous beta-catenin using Ncad(intra) were performed.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Axonal length, complexity, dendritic arborization, and dendritic spine density were analyzed.

    • Main Results:

    • Overexpression of GFP-beta-catenin at 1 day in vitro increased axonal length and complexity.
    • Sequestering beta-catenin had opposite effects on axonal growth.
    • GFP-beta-catenin enhanced dendritic arborization, with effects diminishing as neurons matured.
    • At 12 days in vitro, GFP-beta-catenin increased dendritic spine density.

    Conclusions:

    • The cadherin/catenin complex plays multiple, stage-dependent roles in neuronal morphology development.
    • Beta-catenin signaling is crucial for axonal and dendritic development, as well as spine formation.
    • These findings highlight the dynamic involvement of the cadherin/catenin complex throughout neuronal maturation.