PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Researchers identify molecule that orients neurons for high definition sensing

2013-11-01
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Juliette Savin
pr@riken.jp
81-048-462-1225
RIKEN
Researchers identify molecule that orients neurons for high definition sensing

Many animals have highly developed senses, such as vision in carnivores, touch in mice, and hearing in bats. New research from the RIKEN Brain Science Institute has uncovered a brain molecule that can explain the existence of such finely-tuned sensory capabilities, revealing how brain cells responsible for specific senses are positioned to receive incoming sensory information.

The study, led by Dr. Tomomi Shimogori and published in the journal Science, sought to uncover the molecule that enables high acuity sensing by examining brain regions that receive information from the senses. They found that areas responsible for touch in mice and vision in ferrets contain a protein called BTBD3 that optimizes neuronal shape to receive sensory input more efficiently.

Neurons have a highly specialized shape, sending signals through one long projection called an axon, while receiving signals from many branch-like projections called dendrites. The final shape and connections to other neurons are typically completed after birth. Some neurons have dendrites distributed equally all around the cell body, like a starfish, while in others they extend only from one side, like a squid, steering towards axons that are actively bringing in information from the peripheral nerves. It was previously unknown what enables neurons to have highly oriented dendrites.

"We were fascinated by the dendrite patterning changes that occurred during the early postnatal stage that is controlled by neuronal input," says Dr. Shimogori. "We found a fundamental process that is important to remove unnecessary dendrites to prevent mis-wiring and to make efficient neuronal circuits."

The researchers searched for genes that are active exclusively in the mouse somatosensory cortex, the brain region responsible for their sense of touch, and found that the gene coding for the protein BTBD3 was active in the neurons of the barrel cortex, which receives input from their whiskers, the highly sensitive tactile sensors in mice, and that these neurons had unidirectional dendrites.

Using gene manipulations in embryonic mouse brain the authors found that eliminating BTBD3 made dendrites uniformly distribute around neurons in the mouse barrel cortex. In contrast, artificially introducing BTBD3 in the visual cortex of mice where BTBD3 is not normally found, reoriented the normally symmetrically positioned dendrites to one side. The same mechanism shaped neurons in the visual cortex of ferrets, which unlike the mouse contains BTBD3.

"High acuity sensory function may have been enabled by the evolution of BTBD3 and related proteins in brain development," adds Dr. Shimogori. "Finding BTBD3 selectively in the visual and auditory cortex of the common marmoset, a species that relies heavily on high acuity vocal and visual communication for survival, and in mouse, where it is expressed in high-acuity tactile and olfactory areas, but not in low acuity visual cortex, supports this idea." The authors plan to examine their theory by testing sensory function in mice without BTBD3 gene expression.



INFORMATION:



For more information please contact:

Juliette Savin
RIKEN
Tel: +81-(0)48-462-1225
Mobile phone: +81-(0)808895-2136
Email: pr@riken.jp

Reference

Asuka Matsui, May Tran, Aya C. Yoshida, Satomi S. Kikuchi, Mami U, Masaharu Ogawa and Tomomi Shimogori. "BTBD3 Controls Dendrite Orientation Toward Active Axons in Mammalian Neocortex" Science, 2013

About RIKEN

RIKEN is Japan's largest research institute for basic and applied research. Over 2500 papers by RIKEN researchers are published every year in leading scientific and technology journals covering a broad spectrum of disciplines including physics, chemistry, biology, engineering, and medical science. RIKEN's research environment and strong emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration and globalization has earned a worldwide reputation for scientific excellence.

Website: http://www.riken.jp/en/ Find us on Twitter at @riken_en

About the RIKEN Brain Science Institute

The RIKEN Brain Science Institute (BSI) performs cutting-edge neuroscience research in the service of society and has earned an international reputation as an innovative center for research and training. Researchers at BSI seek to understand brain functions from molecules to neural circuits to cognition, using methods drawn from a wide range of disciplines. BSI is also leading efforts to provide career development for researchers in Japan and around the world.

Website: http://www.brain.riken.jp/en/



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

A 20 percent sugary drink tax would cut number of UK obese adults by 180,000

2013-11-01
A 20 percent sugary drink tax would cut number of UK obese adults by 180,000 As biggest consumers, under 30s likely to be most affected A 20% tax on sugar sweetened drinks would reduce the number of UK adults who are obese by 180,000 (1.3%) and who are overweight ...

Important breakthrough in identifying effect of epilepsy treatment

2013-11-01
Important breakthrough in identifying effect of epilepsy treatment 50 years after valproate was first discovered, research published today in the journal Neurobiology of Disease, reports how the drug works to block seizure progression. Valproate (variously ...

Stem cell scarring aids recovery from spinal cord injury

2013-11-01
Stem cell scarring aids recovery from spinal cord injury VIDEO: The animation shows a simplified view of lesion development after spinal cord injuries in mice, with and ...

CU-Boulder-led team gets first look at diverse life below rare tallgrass prairies

2013-11-01
CU-Boulder-led team gets first look at diverse life below rare tallgrass prairies America's once-abundant tallgrass prairies—which have all but disappeared—were home to dozens of species of grasses that could grow to the height of a man, hundreds of ...

Microsatellite DNA analysis reveals genetic change of P. vivax in Korea, 2002-2003

2013-11-01
Microsatellite DNA analysis reveals genetic change of P. vivax in Korea, 2002-2003 Continual reintroduction of P. vivax from North Korea could be the cause of change Malaria is one of the major infectious diseases transmitted by mosquitos, with enormous impact on ...

Study tracks risk of VL exposure in Brazil's urban areas

2013-11-01
Study tracks risk of VL exposure in Brazil's urban areas Analysis could apply to tracking infection risks in other urban areas Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) is a severe chronic systemic disease caused by the protozoa (Leishmania infantum) in South America, the Mediterranean, ...

Can an oil bath solve the mysteries of the quantum world?

2013-11-01
Can an oil bath solve the mysteries of the quantum world? For the past eight years, two French researchers have been bouncing droplets around a vibrating oil bath and observing their unique behaviour. What sounds like a high-school experiment has in fact provided ...

Racism linked with gun ownership and opposition to gun control in white Americans

2013-11-01
Racism linked with gun ownership and opposition to gun control in white Americans A new study has found that higher levels of racism in white Americans is associated with having a gun in the home and greater opposition to gun control policies. The ...

Public health policies and practices may negatively affect marginalized populations

2013-11-01
Public health policies and practices may negatively affect marginalized populations Author says it's important for public health officials to speak to populations that will be affected by a public health policy or program TORONTO, Oct. 29, 2013--Despite the ...

NIH scientists develop candidate vaccine against respiratory syncytial virus

2013-11-01
NIH scientists develop candidate vaccine against respiratory syncytial virus Structure-based design may be key to successful vaccine for common childhood illness An experimental vaccine to protect against respiratory ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Multi-resistance in bacteria predicted by AI model

Tinker Tots: A citizen science project to explore ethical dilemmas in embryo selection

Sensing sickness

Cost to build multifamily housing in California more than twice as high as in Texas

Program takes aim at drinking, unsafe sex, and sexual assault on college campuses

Inability to pay for healthcare reaches record high in U.S.

Science ‘storytelling’ urgently needed amid climate and biodiversity crisis

KAIST Develops Retinal Therapy to Restore Lost Vision​

Adipocyte-hepatocyte signaling mechanism uncovered in endoplasmic reticulum stress response

Mammals were adapting from life in the trees to living on the ground before dinosaur-killing asteroid

Low LDL cholesterol levels linked to reduced risk of dementia

Thickening of the eye’s retina associated with greater risk and severity of postoperative delirium in older patients

Almost one in ten people surveyed report having been harmed by the NHS in the last three years

Enhancing light control with complex frequency excitations

New research finds novel drug target for acute myeloid leukemia, bringing hope for cancer patients

New insight into factors associated with a common disease among dogs and humans

Illuminating single atoms for sustainable propylene production

New study finds Rocky Mountain snow contamination

Study examines lactation in critically ill patients

UVA Engineering Dean Jennifer West earns AIMBE’s 2025 Pierre Galletti Award

Doubling down on metasurfaces

New Cedars-Sinai study shows how specialized diet can improve gut disorders

Making moves and hitting the breaks: Owl journeys surprise researchers in western Montana

PKU Scientists simulate the origin and evolution of the North Atlantic Oscillation

ICRAFT breakthrough: Unlocking A20’s dual role in cancer immunotherapy

How VR technology is changing the game for Alzheimer’s disease

A borrowed bacterial gene allowed some marine diatoms to live on a seaweed diet

Balance between two competing nerve proteins deters symptoms of autism in mice

Use of antifungals in agriculture may increase resistance in an infectious yeast

Awareness grows of cancer risk from alcohol consumption, survey finds

[Press-News.org] Researchers identify molecule that orients neurons for high definition sensing