Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 15, 2026

Stereotactic Atlas-Guided Laser Capture Microdissection of Brain Regions Affected by Traumatic Injury
09:29

Stereotactic Atlas-Guided Laser Capture Microdissection of Brain Regions Affected by Traumatic Injury

Published on: September 11, 2017

Bax and Bcl-XL apoptosis protein mRNA in rat brain stem and cortex during ontogeny

A V Bannova1, P N Men'shanov, F A Il'inykh

  • 1Laboratory of Genetic Base of Neuroendocrine Regulation, Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Division of Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Moscow. anitik@bionet.nsc.ru

Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine
|October 15, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Apoptosis-related gene expression differs between fetal rat brain regions. The Bcl-XL/Bax mRNA ratio indicates higher apoptosis susceptibility in cortical cells compared to brain stem cells.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Molecular Biology
  • Developmental Biology

Background:

  • Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, is crucial for neural development.
  • Differential gene expression of apoptosis regulators influences neuronal survival and tissue patterning.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the developmental expression patterns of Bax and Bcl-XL mRNA in fetal rat brain stem and cerebral cortex.
  • To compare the apoptotic readiness between these two brain regions based on gene expression ratios.

Main Methods:

  • Quantitative analysis of Bax and Bcl-XL mRNA levels using real-time quantitative PCR or similar techniques.
  • Temporal profiling of gene expression at specific developmental time points in rat brain tissues.

Main Results:

  • Bax mRNA levels in the brain stem peaked around day 40 and subsequently declined.
  • Bcl-XL mRNA levels in the brain stem reached adult values within one month.
  • Cortical Bax mRNA levels decreased from day 8 to day 90, while Bcl-XL mRNA remained constant.
  • The Bcl-XL/Bax mRNA ratio was consistently higher in the cerebral cortex than in the brain stem.

Conclusions:

  • The expression dynamics of Bax and Bcl-XL mRNA differ significantly between the developing rat brain stem and cerebral cortex.
  • Cortical cells demonstrate a greater intrinsic potential for apoptosis compared to brain stem cells during development, as indicated by the Bcl-XL/Bax mRNA ratio.

More Related Videos

Assessing Cellular Stress and Inflammation in Discrete Oxytocin-secreting Brain Nuclei in the Neonatal Rat Before and After First Colostrum Feeding09:12

Assessing Cellular Stress and Inflammation in Discrete Oxytocin-secreting Brain Nuclei in the Neonatal Rat Before and After First Colostrum Feeding

Published on: November 14, 2018

Related Concept Videos

Cellular Injury V: Apoptosis and Autophagy01:22

Cellular Injury V: Apoptosis and Autophagy

Cells respond to damage and stress through highly coordinated processes that decide whether they survive or undergo controlled self-destruction. Two major pathways involved in this regulation are apoptosis, a type of programmed cell death, and autophagy, a survival mechanism that helps cells adapt to adverse conditions.ApoptosisApoptosis removes aged or injured cells to maintain tissue balance. During this process, the cell shrinks, chromatin condenses and fragments, and membrane-bound...
The Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathway01:31

The Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathway

Internal cellular stress, such as cellular injury or hypoxia, triggers intrinsic apoptosis. The B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) family of proteins are the primary regulators of the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. For example, during DNA damage, checkpoint proteins, such as Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM protein) and Checkpoints Factor-2 (Chk2) proteins, are activated. These proteins phosphorylate p53 which further activates pro-apoptotic proteins, such as Bax, Bak, PUMA, and Noxa, and inhibits...