Reprogramming Flashcards
What happens to axons when they reach intermediate targets?
They reprogramme
What happens to the neurons in the hindbrain when they cross the floor plate?
How is this different to in the spinal cord?
In the hindbrain: neurons continue straight on
In the spinal cord: neurons turn anteriorly
What happens to pre-crossing neurons if they are exposed to an ectopic floor plate?
They are attracted to the ectopic floor plate
What happens to post-crossing neurons if they are exposed to an ectopic floor plate?
They are not attracted to the ectopic floor plate
What happens to neuron sensitivity when they cross the floor plate?
Sensitivity changes:
- No longer attracted to netrins in the floor plate
- Now sensitive to repellants in the floor plate
How are semaphorins and slits expressed in the floor plate?
In 3 bands
Why do spinal cord axons turn after crossing the floor plate?
Repelled by slits and semaphorins in the floor plate
Why don’t the axons in the spinal cord go straight on once crossing the floor plate in the spinal cord? (like in the hindbrain)
Slits and semaphorins (repelllants in the floor plate) create a channel at which the axons grow
What is expressed in INSECT midline glial cells?
- Diffusible attractants (netrins)
- Cell surface repellants (slits)
What occurs in the roundabout mutant? (NO ROBO)
Neurons lose sensitivity to repellants in the midline:
- Axons cross the midline many times
What occurs in the commissurless mutant? (NO COMM)
Neurons are permanently sensitive to repellants in the midline:
- Axons don’t cross the midline
What happens when FORCE expression of comm?
What does this show?
Looks like robo mutant (no robo) - no longer sensitive to midline repellants
Shows that comm controls robo
Do all axons cross the midline?
NO some axons cross to form commissures that join with longitudinal pathways formed by axons that have not crossed the midline
What determines whether or not axons can cross the midline?
Levels of SLIT receptors at the cell surface
What type of molecule is comm?
Where is it found?
A membrane-associated protein
Found at the cell surface and on intracellular components
How does comm control robo?
Controls the intracellular trafficking of robo to the cell surface
What is Robo?
A receptor for the inhibitory protein SLIT
Where is robo expression high/low?
High on neurons that DON’T cross (repelled by the midline)
High on C neurons AFTER they have crossed (prevent crossing again)
Low on C neurons BEFORE crossing (so they can be attracted to the midline)
Why do the axons continuously cross the midline in robo mutants?
No robo, no slit detected, not repelled from the midline
Can constantly be attracted to the midline by netrins
Which 2 places is comm expressed?
1) In the MIDLINE
2) In neurons that normally cross the midline
Why do the axons not cross the midline in comm mutants?
Robo upregulated, higher sensitivity to slits, extend axons longitudinally
What are the 2 possible models of how Comm controls Robo?
1) Sorting model
2) Clearance model
Describe the sorting model of how comm controls robo
Presence of Comm forces the sorting of newly synthesised Robo into late endosomes:
Pre-crossing/during crossing - Robo recycled and degraded
Post-crossing - Robo upregulated
In neurons that DON’T cross - no Comm, no robo degredation
Describe the clearance model of how comm controls robo
- Robo goes down the axon with comm
- Robo gets to the surface but is CLEARED from the surface (during crossing)
- Following crossing, Robo is UPREGULATED
How is robo cleared from the cell surface during the crossing of a commisural axon?
Due to the HOMOPHILLIC interactions between comm in the axon and comm in the midline