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Updated: Feb 12, 2026

In ovo Electroporation in Chick Midbrain for Studying Gene Function in Dopaminergic Neuron Development
Published on: August 3, 2012
Synapse development organized by neuronal activity-regulated immediate-early genes
Seungjoon Kim1, Hyeonho Kim1, Ji Won Um2
1Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), Daegu, 42988, Korea.
Abstract:
Classical studies have shown that neuronal immediate-early genes (IEGs) play important roles in synaptic processes critical for key brain functions. IEGs are transiently activated and rapidly upregulated in discrete neurons in response to a wide variety of cellular stimuli, and they are uniquely involved in various aspects of synapse development. In this review, we summarize recent studies of a subset of neuronal IEGs in regulating synapse formation, transmission, and plasticity. We also discuss how the dysregulation of neuronal IEGs is associated with the onset of various brain disorders and pinpoint key outstanding questions that should be addressed in this field.
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