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Updated: May 13, 2026

Three-dimensional Quantification of Dendritic Spines from Pyramidal Neurons Derived from Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
Published on: October 10, 2015
Regulation of spine density and morphology by IQGAP1 protein domains
Ignacio Jausoro1, Ivan Mestres, Gonzalo Quassollo
1Laboratory of Neurobiology, Instituto Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra, INIMEC-CONICET, Córdoba, Argentina.
Abstract:
IQGAP1 is a scaffolding protein that regulates spine number. We now show a differential role for IQGAP1 domains in spine morphogenesis, in which a region of the N-terminus that promotes Arp2/3-mediated actin polymerization and branching stimulates spine head formation while a region that binds to Cdc42 and Rac is required for stalk extension. Conversely, IQGAP1 rescues spine deficiency induced by expression of dominant negative Cdc42 by stimulating formation of stubby spines. Together, our observations place IQGAP1 as a crucial regulator of spine number and shape acting through the N-Wasp Arp2/3 complex, as well as upstream and downstream of Cdc42.
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