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Automatic Identification of Dendritic Branches and their Orientation
Published on: September 17, 2021
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Precursor types predict the stability of neuronal branches
Joachim Fuchs1, Britta J Eickholt1
1Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Virchowweg 6, 10117 Berlin, Germany.
Journal of Cell Science
|November 12, 2021
Summary
Neuron branches emerge from different precursors, with filopodia-initiated branches persisting longer than others. The protein PLPPR3 and netrin-1 promote these stable, filopodia-initiated neuron branches.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cell Biology
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Neuron branching is crucial for forming complex neural networks.
- Branches arise from distinct cytoskeletal precursor structures.
- Cytoskeletal regulators are thought to maintain branches uniformly.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if different precursor structures trigger alternative branch maintenance mechanisms.
- To determine the role of phospholipid phosphatase-related protein 3 (PLPPR3) and netrin-1 in branch stability.
- To elucidate the mechanisms underlying axon branch stabilization.
Main Methods:
- Utilized mouse hippocampal neurons.
- Observed branch stability differences based on precursor structures (lamellipodia, growth cone splitting, filopodia).
- Examined neurons lacking PLPPR3 and neurons treated with netrin-1.
Main Results:
- Branches from filopodia exhibit greater stability compared to those from lamellipodia or growth cone splitting.
- Axons preferentially initiate and stabilize branches from filopodia.
- PLPPR3 and netrin-1 enhance branch stability indirectly by promoting a 'filopodia branch programme' on axons.
Conclusions:
- Neuron branch maintenance mechanisms differ based on their precursor structures.
- Axon branch stabilization involves preferential initiation from filopodia.
- PLPPR3 and netrin-1 modulate branch stability by influencing the filopodia-initiated branch program, not by direct stabilization.
Keywords:
Directed acyclic graphsFilopodiumLamellipodiumNeuron branch stabilityPLPPR3PRG2Survival analysisMore Related Videos
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