Review
Cell Biology
Marie Baldenius, Steffen Kautzmann, Suchet Nanda, Christian Klaembt
Summary: The rapid transmission of action potentials is crucial for efficient communication in the nervous system. Glial cells play a role in regulating conduction velocity by controlling axonal diameter. Understanding the mechanisms of glial wrapping in Drosophila can provide insights into the development of complex structures like myelin in mammals.
Article
Neurosciences
Natasha Sukhanov, Anya Vainshtein, Yael Eshed-Eisenbach, Elior Peles
Summary: Cell adhesion proteins of the Cadm family play a crucial role in myelination and axonal organization. The study reveals that Cadm3 is the main axonal ligand for glial Cadm4, and the combined action of Cadm2 and Cadm1 can compensate for its absence. Genetic ablation of all three Cadm genes phenocopies the abnormalities detected in the absence of Cadm4, indicating their interplay in regulating myelination and axonal organization.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Developmental Biology
Megan M. Corty, Alexandria L. Hulegaard, Jo Q. Hill, Amy E. Sheehan, Sue A. Aicher, Marc R. Freeman
Summary: This study uses Drosophila wrapping glia to investigate the development and function of non-myelinating axon ensheathment. The selective ablation of these glia severely impairs larval locomotor behavior. Through an RNA interference screen, the conserved receptor tyrosine kinase Discoidin domain receptor (Ddr) is identified as a key regulator in axon ensheathment. Loss of Ddr results in reduced ensheathment of axons and decreased axon caliber, suggesting that Ddr functions as a collagen receptor to drive axon wrapping. In adult nerves, loss of Ddr decreases long-term survival of sensory neurons and significantly reduces axon caliber without overtly affecting ensheathment.
Article
Neurosciences
Christabel X. Tan, Cagla Eroglu
Summary: Astrocytes play a key role in regulating synapse formation and function by interacting with neuronal synapses at tripartite synapses. Recent studies have shown a diverse range of cell adhesion-based mechanisms that mediate astrocyte-synapse interactions and influence both astrocyte morphological maturation and synapse development. These newly discovered molecular pathways in brain physiology have implications for both health and disease.
CURRENT OPINION IN NEUROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Katrin Gerstmann, Karine Kindbeiter, Ludovic Telley, Muriel Bozon, Florie Reynaud, Emy Theoulle, Camille Charoy, Denis Jabaudon, Frederic Moret, Valerie Castellani
Summary: During corticogenesis, diffusible signals from the cerebrospinal fluid may contribute to the dynamic regulation of apical adhesion, resulting in dual effects on cell positioning and cell progeny.
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Jason Clements, Kurt Buhler, Mattias Winant, Veerle Vulsteke, Patrick Callaerts
Summary: The study investigates the development of insulin-producing cells in Drosophila using a transgenic reporter and identifies the crucial roles of Nrg, Sema-1a, and PlexA in the morphological differentiation of IPCs in both neurons and glial cells. The research also shows that these factors play a part in the functional differentiation of IPCs, suggesting evolutionary conservation in vertebrate endocrine system development.
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Developmental Biology
Clarisse Perron, Pascal Carme, Arnau Llobet Rosell, Eva Minnaert, Salome Ruiz-Demoulin, Heloise Szczkowski, Lukas Jakob Neukomm, Jean-Maurice Dura, Ana Boulanger
Summary: During animal development, neuronal circuits go through a period of refinement, which involves the removal of debris produced by neurons. Glial cells, particularly astrocytes, play a crucial role in phagocytosis and clearing this neuronal debris. Orion, a chemokine-like factor secreted by mushroom body neurons, is involved in the activation and transformation of astrocytes into phagocytes, as well as triggering glial infiltration, engulfment, and phagocytosis.
Article
Biology
Karina Chaudhari, Madhavi Gorla, Chao Chang, Artur Kania, Greg J. Bashaw
Summary: The study reveals that WRC is a direct effector of Robo signaling, with mutants of WRC enhancing defects caused by Robo1. The WIRS motif of Robo1 is essential for maintaining receptor activity, supporting an important conserved role for the WIRS-WRC interaction in Robo1-mediated axon repulsion.
Article
Cell Biology
Cheng Chang, Lacey B. Sell, Qian Shi, Manzoor A. Bhat
Summary: The Cntnap1 mutant mouse model uncovers the impact of human CNTNAP1 mutations on the nervous system and provides proof of concept for gene therapy in CNTNAP1 patients.
Article
Cell Biology
Lihong Sheng, Emily J. J. Shields, Janko Gospocic, Masato Sorida, Linyang Ju, China N. N. Byrns, Faith Carranza, Shelley L. L. Berger, Nancy Bonini, Roberto Bonasio
Summary: By studying the changes in the number and gene expression of ensheathing glia in Drosophila melanogaster brain, it is found that dysregulated ensheathing glia can lead to lipid droplet accumulation, cellular dysfunction, and death, affecting brain health and lifespan. Inhibition of apoptosis can restore the declining number of ensheathing glia with age, improve the neuro-motor performance of aged fruit flies and prolong lifespan. Furthermore, an expanded ensheathing glia population can prevent amyloid-beta accumulation in a fly model of Alzheimer's disease and delay the premature death of diseased animals. These findings highlight the vital role of ensheathing glia in regulating brain health and animal longevity.
Review
Cell Biology
Eloisa Herrera, Augusto Escalante
Summary: The development of the nervous system involves neurogenesis, neuronal specification, axonal navigation, and circuits assembly. The growth cone located at the tip of the axon plays a crucial role in guiding axons towards their final targets. The transcriptional control and epigenetic regulation of axon guidance molecules are important for determining specific axonal behaviors.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Selin Jessa, Abdulshakour Mohammadnia, Ashot S. Harutyunyan, Maud Hulswit, Srinidhi Varadharajan, Hussein Lakkis, Nisha Kabir, Zahedeh Bashardanesh, Steven Hebert, Damien Faury, Maria C. Vladoiu, Samantha Worme, Marie Coutelier, Brian Krug, Augusto Faria Andrade, Manav Pathania, Andrea Bajic, Alexander G. Weil, Benjamin Ellezam, Jeffrey Atkinson, Roy W. R. Dudley, Jean-Pierre Farmer, Sebastien Perreault, Benjamin A. Garcia, Valerie Larouche, Mathieu Blanchette, Livia Garzia, Aparna Bhaduri, Keith L. Ligon, Pratiti Bandopadhayay, Michael D. Taylor, Stephen C. Mack, Nada Jabado, Claudia L. Kleinman
Summary: This study provides an integrated analysis of 116 tumors and shows that K27M-mutant gliomas maintain chromatin configuration consistent with the cell of origin. Different types of K27M-mutant gliomas have different cell origins and molecular profiles.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Feifei Du, Avin Hawez, Zhiyi Ding, Yongzhi Wang, Carl-Fredrik Ronnow, Milladur Rahman, Henrik Thorlacius
Summary: This study investigates the role of a protein called Mid1 in abdominal sepsis. The results show that Mid1 expression is increased in endothelial cells in septic mice and can be further increased by TNF-alpha stimulation in vitro. Knockdown of Mid1 using siRNA reduces the upregulation of ICAM-1 and the adhesion of neutrophils to endothelial cells. In vivo, silencing Mid1 decreases leukocyte adhesion in septic lungs and also reduces the expression of ICAM-1. The study also suggests that Mid1 may target a protein called PP2Ac in endothelial cells. Targeting the Mid1-PP2Ac axis could be a potential strategy to reduce lung inflammation in abdominal sepsis.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Melisande Richard, Karolina Doubkova, Yohei Nitta, Hiroki Kawai, Atsushi Sugie, Gaia Tavosanis
Summary: This study develops a system to model early degeneration events in Drosophila adult photoreceptor cells. Exposure of adult female flies to constant light stimulation leads to progressive axonal degeneration, independent of apoptosis. Loss of synaptic integrity between photoreceptor cells precedes axonal degeneration, resembling features of human neurodegenerative diseases. This study also uncovers the role of postsynaptic partners in initiating degeneration and suggests that postsynaptic cells signal back to maintain axonal structure.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Megan M. Corty, Jaeda Coutinho-Budd
Summary: The importance of glial cells has gained recognition in the past 20 years, but our knowledge about these cells is still limited compared to neurons. Drosophila glia share similar molecular players and functions with their vertebrate counterparts, making them suitable models to study glial composition and roles. Drosophila genetics and in vivo imaging techniques provide valuable tools to investigate glial development and their interactions with neurons.
CURRENT OPINION IN NEUROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Rosa E. Mino, Stephen L. Rogers, April L. Risinger, Cristina Rohena, Swati Banerjee, Manzoor A. Bhat
JOURNAL OF CELL SCIENCE
(2016)
Article
Neurosciences
Julia Saifetiarova, Anna M. Taylor, Manzoor A. Bhat
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2017)
Article
Neurosciences
Julia Saifetiarova, Xi Liu, Anna M. Taylor, Jie Li, Manzoor A. Bhat
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH
(2017)
Article
Neurosciences
Swati Banerjee, Anandakrishnan Venkatesan, Manzoor A. Bhat
MOLECULAR AND CELLULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2017)
Article
Neurosciences
Anna M. Taylor, Julia Saifetiarova, Manzoor A. Bhat
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2017)
Article
Neurosciences
Julia Saifetiarova, Qian Shi, Martin Paukert, Masayuki Komada, Manzoor A. Bhat
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2018)
Article
Neurosciences
Qian Shi, Julia Saifetiarova, Anna Marie Taylor, Manzoor A. Bhat
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2018)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Tara Barron, Julia Saifetiarova, Manzoor A. Bhat, Jun Hee Kim
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2018)
Article
Neurosciences
Julia Saifetiarova, Manzoor A. Bhat
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH
(2019)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Qian Shi, Doug-Yoon Lee, Denis Feliers, Hanna E. Abboud, Manzoor A. Bhat, Yves Gorin
MOLECULAR METABOLISM
(2020)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Liang Ye, Murat Orynbayev, Xiangyu Zhu, Eunice Y. Lim, Ram R. Dereddi, Amit Agarwal, Dwight E. Bergles, Manzoor A. Bhat, Martin Paukert
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2020)
Article
Neurosciences
Shuting Chen, Anand Venkatesan, Yong Qi Lin, Jing Xie, Gregory Neely, Swati Banerjee, Manzoor A. Bhat
Summary: MEGF8 is a highly conserved transmembrane protein that is associated with genetic disorders and psychiatric disorders. This study shows that dMegf8 plays a crucial role in synaptic growth and neurotransmission in fruit flies, and its mutation leads to motor coordination deficits.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Cheng Chang, Lacey B. Sell, Qian Shi, Manzoor A. Bhat
Summary: The Cntnap1 mutant mouse model uncovers the impact of human CNTNAP1 mutations on the nervous system and provides proof of concept for gene therapy in CNTNAP1 patients.
Article
Neurosciences
Anna M. Taylor, Qian Shi, Manzoor A. Bhat
Article
Developmental Biology
Swati Banerjee, Rosa E. Mino, Elizabeth S. Fisher, Manzoor A. Bhat
DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2017)