Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 15, 2026

Measurements of Physiological Stress Responses in C. Elegans
Published on: May 21, 2020
Htr2a Expression Responds Rapidly to Environmental Stimuli in an Egr3-Dependent Manner
Amanda M Maple1, Xiuli Zhao1,2, Diana I Elizalde1
1†Department of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Arizona College of Medicine, 425 N. Fifth St., Phoenix, Arizona 85004, United States.
Abstract:
Pharmacologic and genetic findings have implicated the serotonin 2A receptor (5-HT2AR) in the etiology of schizophrenia. Recent studies have shown reduced 5-HT2AR levels in schizophrenia patients, yet the cause of this difference is unknown. Environmental factors, such as stress, also influence schizophrenia risk, yet little is known about how environment may affect this receptor. To determine if acute stress alters 5-HT2AR expression, we examined the effect of sleep deprivation on cortical Htr2a mRNA in mice. We found that 6 h of sleep deprivation induces a twofold increase in Htr2a mRNA, a more rapid effect than has been previously reported. This effect requires the immediate early gene early growth response 3 (Egr3), as sleep deprivation failed to induce Htr2a expression in Egr3-/- mice. These findings provide a functional link between two schizophrenia candidate genes and an explanation of how environment may influence a genetic predisposition for schizophrenia.
More Related Videos
08:11Single-Animal, Single-Tube RNA Extraction for Comparison of Relative Transcript Levels via qRT-PCR in the Tardigrade Hypsibius exemplaris
Published on: January 3, 2025
06:01Standardized Methods for Measuring Induction of the Heat Shock Response in Caenorhabditis elegans
Published on: July 3, 2020
Related Concept Videos
Diversity in Cell Signaling Responses
Graded and Abrupt Responses
Some signaling systems generate...
Cell Signaling in Plants
Stringent Response in E. coli
Transcription
Transcription is the process of synthesizing RNA from a DNA sequence by RNA polymerase. It is the first step in producing a protein from a gene sequence. Additionally, many other proteins and regulatory sequences are involved in the proper synthesis of messenger RNA (mRNA). Regulation of transcription is responsible for the differentiation of all the different types of cells and often for the proper cellular response to environmental signals.
Transcription Can Produce Different Kinds...
Repressible Operon: trp Operon
Activation and Inactivation of G Proteins