• Title/Summary/Keyword: Brain, anatomy

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Induction of Neuron-derived Orphan Receptor-1 in the Dentate Gyrus of the Hippocampal Formation Following Transient Global Ischemia in the Rat

  • Kim, Younghwa;Hong, Soontaek;Noh, Mi Ra;Kim, Soo Young;Huh, Pil Woo;Park, Sun-Hwa;Sun, Woong;Kim, Hyun
    • Molecules and Cells
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    • v.22 no.1
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    • pp.8-12
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    • 2006
  • Neuron-derived orphan receptor (NOR-1) is a member of the thyroid/steroid receptor superfamily that was originally identified in forebrain neuronal cells undergoing apoptosis. In addition to apoptotic stimuli, activation of several signal transduction pathways including direct neuronal depolarization regulates the expression of NOR-1. In this study we tested whether the expression of NOR-1 is changed following transient ischemic injury in the adult rat brain. NOR-1 mRNA increased rapidly in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampal formation and piriform cortex 3 h after transient global ischemia and returned to basal level at 6 h. On the other hand, oxygen-glucose deprivation of cultured cerebral cortical neurons did not alter the expression of NOR-1. These results suggest that expression of NOR-1 is differentially regulated in different brain regions in response to globally applied brain ischemia, but that hypoxia is not sufficient to induce its expression.

Development and Degeneration of Retinal Ganglion Cell Axons in Xenopus tropicalis

  • Choi, Boyoon;Kim, Hyeyoung;Jang, Jungim;Park, Sihyeon;Jung, Hosung
    • Molecules and Cells
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    • v.45 no.11
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    • pp.846-854
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    • 2022
  • Neurons make long-distance connections via their axons, and the accuracy and stability of these connections are crucial for brain function. Research using various animal models showed that the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the assembly and maintenance of neuronal circuitry are highly conserved in vertebrates. Therefore, to gain a deeper understanding of brain development and maintenance, an efficient vertebrate model is required, where the axons of a defined neuronal cell type can be genetically manipulated and selectively visualized in vivo. Placental mammals pose an experimental challenge, as time-consuming breeding of genetically modified animals is required due to their in utero development. Xenopus laevis, the most commonly used amphibian model, offers comparative advantages, since their embryos ex utero during which embryological manipulations can be performed. However, the tetraploidy of the X. laevis genome makes them not ideal for genetic studies. Here, we use Xenopus tropicalis, a diploid amphibian species, to visualize axonal pathfinding and degeneration of a single central nervous system neuronal cell type, the retinal ganglion cell (RGC). First, we show that RGC axons follow the developmental trajectory previously described in X. laevis with a slightly different timeline. Second, we demonstrate that co-electroporation of DNA and/or oligonucleotides enables the visualization of gene function-altered RGC axons in an intact brain. Finally, using this method, we show that the axon-autonomous, Sarm1-dependent axon destruction program operates in X. tropicalis. Taken together, the present study demonstrates that the visual system of X. tropicalis is a highly efficient model to identify new molecular mechanisms underlying axon guidance and survival.

Spatio-Temporal Expression Pattern of Grp 78, a Putative Hoxc8 Downstream Target Gene, During Murine Embryogenesis

  • Kang Jin Joo;Kwon Yunjeong;Lee Eun Young;Park Hyoung Woo;Yang Hye-Won;Kim Myoung Hee
    • Biomedical Science Letters
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    • v.11 no.3
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    • pp.311-318
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    • 2005
  • Grp78, discovered as one of the putative target genes of Hoxc8, is a highly conserved stress protein and functions as a molecular chaperone in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). In order to see the stage-specific expression pattern of Grp78 during development, mouse embryos from day 7.5 to 17.5 p.c. were isolated, and RT-PCR as well as in situ hybridization was performed. When RT-PCR was performed using Grp78 specific primers, periodic expression pattern was detected. And also a region-specific expression pattern was detected with a strong expression in the trunk part of day 11.5 p.c. embryo, like that of Hoxc8. When in situ hybridization was performed, Grp78 was revealed to be expressed in the endoderm, somite, neuroepithelium cells of neural tube in early embryos. In the case of late embryos, Grp78 expression was detected in the liver, segmental bronchus within cranial lobe of lung, ossification center within the cartilage primordium of rib and vertebra, submandibular gland, as well as metanephros. These expression patterns are very much similar to those of Hoxc8. Since Hoxc8 has been reported to regulate apoptosis during organogenesis, it might be possible that the apoptotic function could have been conveyed through the expression of Grp78, implying that the Grp78 is one of the Hoxc8 downstream target genes.

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The Shape of Synaptic Vesicles in the Tooth Pulp Afferent Terminals and P-endings in the Rat Trigeminal Nucleus Principalis (흰쥐의 삼차신경주감각핵에서 치수유래 일차들신경종말 및 이와 연접하는 연접이전신경종말의 연접소포 형태 비교)

  • Kim, Yun-Sook;Paik, Sang-Kyoo;Kwak, Woo-Kyung;Cho, Yi-Sul;Kim, Ji-Man;Park, Mae-Ja;Bae, Yong-Chul
    • Applied Microscopy
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    • v.38 no.4
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    • pp.375-382
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    • 2008
  • In order to investigate shape of synaptic vesicles of the tooth pulp afferent boutons and their presynaptic endings (p-endings), and the neuroactive substance of the p-endings in the trigeminal nucleus principalis, rat incisor tooth pulp afferents were labeled by the horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and quantitative ultrastructural analysis and postembedding immunogold labeling were performed. Labeled tooth pulp afferent boutons contained clear, spherical synaptic vesicles (diameter: $45{\sim}55\;nm$) and occasionally dense core vesicles(diameter: $80{\sim}120\;nm$). They formed symmetrical synapses with unlabeled axon terminals (p-endings) containing pleomorphic synaptic vesicles. The ratio of short to long diameter (form factor) of synaptic vesicles of pulp afferent boutons was 0.6 to 0.99, whereas that of p-endings was 0.25 to 0.99. In addition, most of the p-endings showed GABA-like immunoreactivity. These results indicate that the shape of synaptic vesicles is quite different between the tooth pulp afferent boutons and p-endings, and the p-endings may contain GABA as a neuroactive substance in the trigeminal nucleus principalis.

Effect of Pioglitazone on Excitotoxic Neuronal Damage in the Mouse Hippocampus

  • Lee, Choong Hyun;Yi, Min-Hee;Chae, Dong Jin;Zhang, Enji;Oh, Sang-Ha;Kim, Dong Woon
    • Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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    • v.23 no.3
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    • pp.261-267
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    • 2015
  • Pioglitazone (PGZ), a synthetic peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ${\gamma}$ agonist, is known to regulate inflammatory process and to have neuroprotective effects against neurological disorders. In the present study, we examined the effects of 30 mg/kg PGZ on excitotoxic neuronal damage and glial activation in the mouse hippocampus following intracerebroventricular injection of kainic acid (KA). PGZ treatment significantly reduced seizure-like behavior. PGZ had the neuroprotective effect against KA-induced neuronal damage and attenuated the activations of astrocytes and microglia in the hippocampal CA3 region. In addition, MPO and $NF{\kappa}B$ immunoreactivities in the glial cells were also decreased in the PGZ-treated group. These results indicate that PGZ had anticonvulsant and neuroprotective effects against KA-induced excitotocix injury, and that neuroprotective effect of PGZ might be due to the attenuation of KA-induced activation in astrocytes and microglia as well as KA-induced increases in MPO and $NF{\kappa}B$.