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Updated: Jun 25, 2026
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Immobilization of Caenorhabditis elegans to Analyze Intracellular Transport in Neurons
Published on: October 18, 2017
An UNC-40 pathway directs postsynaptic membrane extension in Caenorhabditis elegans
Mariam Alexander1, Kevin Ka Ming Chan, Alexandra B Byrne
1Department of Molecular Genetics, The Terrence Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, 160 College Street, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3E1, Canada.
Development (Cambridge, England)
|February 13, 2009
Summary
Investigating muscle arm extension in C. elegans, this study identifies a novel pathway involving the UNC-40 receptor for directed membrane growth. This reveals axon guidance molecules are crucial for postsynaptic membrane expansion.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- The postsynaptic membrane at the neuromuscular junction expands during development to support larger muscles.
- In C. elegans, muscle arms facilitate postsynaptic membrane extension, serving as a model for studying this process and guided membrane extension.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify genes essential for muscle arm extension in C. elegans.
- To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying directed postsynaptic membrane expansion.
Main Methods:
- Forward genetic screen for mutants with reduced muscle arm numbers.
- Analysis of gene function using C. elegans mutants, focusing on UNC-40/Dcc and downstream effectors.
Main Results:
- Identified 23 mutations in 14 genes required for muscle arm extension.
- UNC-40/Dcc is crucial for cell-autonomous muscle arm extension towards motor axons, independent of UNC-6/Netrin.
- Discovered UNC-73/Trio, WAVE actin-polymerization complex, and focal adhesion components function downstream of UNC-40.
Conclusions:
- Established the first molecular pathway for directed muscle membrane extension.
- Demonstrated that axon guidance molecules play significant roles in postsynaptic membrane expansion.
