Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 26, 2026

Isolation and Culture of Oculomotor, Trochlear, and Spinal Motor Neurons from Prenatal Islmn:GFP Transgenic Mice
Published on: November 12, 2019
Survival motor neuron: motor neuron insurance for a whole lifespan?
Janina Rafałowska1, Dorota Sulejczak, Roman Gadamski
1Department of Neurology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
Abstract:
The SMN (survival motor neuron) gene plays an important role in ontogenesis and its dysfunction leads to immatu-rity of skeletal muscles and motor neurons in the spinal cord. As a result of SMN mutations the affected cells die and clinical symptoms of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) develop. Physiologically, SMN together with gemins is part of a multiprotein complex of particular importance to motor neuron development. Since the SMN gene is necessary for normal motor neuron maturity, a question arises whether its expression is preserved in postnatal life or finishes with the end of ontogenesis. To answer this question we examined expression of SMN and gemins 2, 3 and 4 in spinal cords of Wistar rats at age 1-350 days using immunofluorescence and immunohistochemical methods. In the examined animals expression of SMN appeared in neurons in 20-day old rats and increased with animal age. In rats aged 30-350 days SMN immunoreactivity was similar in all the examined animals. The same phenomenon was observed in assessment of gemin expression. Our study revealed that in rat spinal cord expression of SMN and gemins 2, 3 and 4 is present through a whole animal lifespan and not only in motor but also in sensory and autonomic neurons.
More Related Videos
11:02Dissection and Immunohistochemistry of the Drosophila Adult Leg to Detect Changes at the Neuromuscular Junction for an Identified Motor Neuron
Published on: February 12, 2022
08:41Dissection of Single Skeletal Muscle Fibers for Immunofluorescent and Morphometric Analyses of Whole-Mount Neuromuscular Junctions
Published on: August 14, 2021
Related Concept Videos
Motor Units
Motor Units
Motor units come in different sizes, with smaller units...
Neurogenesis and Regeneration of Nervous Tissue
The Neuromuscular Junction
Nervous Tissue: Myelin
Schwann cells begin to form myelin sheaths around axons during fetal development. They wrap around a small...
Satellite Stem Cells and Muscular Dystrophy