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Ex Utero Electroporation and Organotypic Slice Cultures of Embryonic Mouse Brains for Live-Imaging of Migrating GABAergic Interneurons
Published on: April 20, 2018
The stochastic search dynamics of interneuron migration.
Joanne M Britto1, Leigh A Johnston, Seong-Seng Tan
1Howard Florey Institute, Florey Neuroscience Institutes, and Centre for Neuroscience, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
Biophysical Journal
|August 5, 2009
Summary
Cell migration involves neurite branching and nucleus movement (nucleokinesis). Our study reveals nucleokinesis follows a spring-dashpot model, while branching is a separate stochastic process, improving environmental exploration.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Cell migration is crucial for development, involving neurite extension and nucleus translocation (nucleokinesis).
- Traditional models suggest a close link between neurite branching and nucleokinesis during interneuron migration.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the distinct mechanisms of neurite branching and nucleokinesis in developing interneurons.
- To develop and validate computational models for these cellular migratory processes.
Main Methods:
- High-resolution time-lapse confocal microscopy.
- Computational modeling using a spring-dashpot system and stochastic birth-death process.
- Validation on independent datasets and experiments with neurotrophic factors and blebbistatin.
Main Results:
- Nucleokinesis is accurately modeled as a spring-dashpot system.
- Neurite branching operates independently of nucleokinesis, following a stochastic birth-death process.
- Models are robust to changes in guidance cues and migratory mechanisms.
Conclusions:
- Neurite branching and nucleokinesis are distinct, independent processes in interneuron migration.
- Stochastic branching dynamics facilitate efficient environmental exploration during guided migration.
- This study refines our understanding of cellular migration mechanisms in neurodevelopment.
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