Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 2, 2026
09:50
Ex Utero Electroporation and Organotypic Slice Cultures of Embryonic Mouse Brains for Live-Imaging of Migrating GABAergic Interneurons
Published on: April 20, 2018
The role of Rho GTPase proteins in CNS neuronal migration
Eve-Ellen Govek1, Mary E Hatten, Linda Van Aelst
1Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, The Rockefeller University, NY 10065, USA.
Developmental Neurobiology
|May 11, 2011
Summary
Brain development relies on directed cell migrations, crucial for forming neuronal layers and circuitry. Rho GTPases are key regulators of these cell movements, essential for proper brain architecture.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Brain architectonics depend on directed cell migrations during cortical histogenesis.
- Specific cell motility modes are essential for forming cortical layers and patterning brain circuitry.
- These migrations involve various cell types and movements, including radial and tangential migration.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review different types of cell migration in the developing neocortex and cerebellar cortex.
- To elucidate the role of Rho GTPases in central nervous system (CNS) neuronal migration.
- To emphasize the involvement of Rho GTPases in radial migration.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on CNS neuronal migration.
- Focus on the molecular mechanisms involving Rho GTPases, their regulators, and effectors.
- Analysis of cell motility, actomyosin motors, and cell adhesion receptor systems.
Main Results:
- Directed cell migrations are fundamental to mammalian brain development.
- Rho GTPases are critical regulators of actin and microtubule cytoskeletons, cell polarity, and adhesion.
- Actomyosin motors and cell adhesion systems provide the necessary force and traction for neuronal movement.
Conclusions:
- Rho GTPases play pivotal roles in various CNS neuronal migration processes.
- Understanding Rho GTPase function is crucial for comprehending the development of brain architecture and circuitry.
- Further emphasis is placed on their specific involvement in radial migration during cortical development.
Related Concept Videos
01:21Cell Polarization by Rho Proteins
Cell polarity is the asymmetric distribution of cellular and membrane components, making one side of the cell different from the other. This polarity is essential to many processes such as embryogenesis, axon migration, glucose transport across epithelial cells, and directional cell migration. A migrating cell responds to intracellular or extracellular signals via molecular cascades that reorganize the actin cytoskeleton to establish this polarity. In these cells, the Rho family proteins Cdc42,...
01:24Small GTPases - Ras and Rho
Ras and Rho are small monomeric GTPases that act downstream of receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) and regulate various cellular processes. These GTPases switch between active and inactive states by binding to guanine nucleotides.
Three regulatory proteins control their activity:
Three regulatory proteins control their activity:
01:32Cytoskeletal Coordination in Cell Migration
A migrating cell changes its shape during the cyclic events of attachment and detachment from the substratum and repositions the cell organelles correspondingly. These complex events are orchestrated by the dynamic cytoskeletal network comprising actin filaments, intermediate filaments, and microtubules. Cytoskeletal crosstalk — the direct and indirect communication between the different components — is crucial for this coordination. Direct communication involves various linker proteins that...
01:18Role of Myosin in Cell Migration
Myosins are multimeric motor proteins involved in various cellular processes such as migration, adhesion, and proliferation. Myosin II is the most common type in animal cells, which binds and cross-links actin filaments.
Myosin II is a hexamer comprising two heavy chains with globular heads and coiled-coil tails, two regulatory light chains, and two essential light chains. The ATPase sites on the myosin heads hydrolyze ATP, and the released phosphate generates the force for contraction. It is...
Myosin II is a hexamer comprising two heavy chains with globular heads and coiled-coil tails, two regulatory light chains, and two essential light chains. The ATPase sites on the myosin heads hydrolyze ATP, and the released phosphate generates the force for contraction. It is...
01:25Rab Cascades
Rab GTPases act in a regulated cascade during membrane fusion, helping the lipid bilayers mix. The Rab family of proteins are active when bound to GTP, and inactive when bound to GDP. Hence, they act as guanine nucleotide-dependent molecular switches. Rab-GTP recognizes and binds to long or short-range tethering proteins to capture the target vesicle. These tethers coordinate with SNAREs on the vesicle and the target membrane to assemble the trans SNARE complex that locks the mixing bilayers.
01:09Cell Migration
Cell migration, the process by which cells move from one location to another, is essential for the proper development and viability of organisms throughout their life. When cells are not able to migrate properly to their ordained locations, various disorders may occur. For example, disruption in cell migration causes chronic inflammatory diseases such as arthritis.