神经元迁移的细胞和分子机制

在脑的发育过程中,神经元的正确迁移是正常脑组织发生的一个必不可少的环节。在过去的几十年中,通过不同的学科方法,对于神经元迁移的机制有了较好的理解。在细胞水平上,神经元迁移需要3个重复事件的精确调控;在分子水平,与神经元迁移相关的胞外信号分子已经被鉴定,而且大量的胞内信号通路也已经被阐明。     

表观遗传可调节神经元的迁移

Friedrich Miescher生物医学研究所的神经生物学家首次发现了大脑发育过程中神经元细胞定向迁移的表观遗传学调控机制.他们发现机体可通过在表观遗传学层面上调控基因表达,影响神经元以及细胞外环境信号,从而调节神经元迁移的过程.这一成果进一步揭示了表观遗传学与神经生物学间的联系,并发表在《Science》杂志上.我们的大脑是由多达1 000亿个细胞通过精巧的连接构成的.虽然细胞数量庞大,但是形成的整个过程,包括神经元分裂,呈现明确的特性,迁移到神经网络中的正确节点,沿预定路径发送轴突并与特异的靶神     

放射状胶质细胞研究新进展

主要综述了放射状胶质细胞的基本特性及其在完成引导神经元迁移的重要使命后转化为星状胶质细胞,以及其近年来的研究热点──星状胶质细胞反分化为放射状胶质细胞的可能机理的研究和放射状胶质细胞引导神经元迁移的分子机制的研究。     

神经元分化的信号转导

神经细胞的分化是神经系统发育过程中的重要事件之一 ,它涉及神经元的迁移、轴突的定向生长、突触发生和选择性凋亡等一系列过程。这些分化过程是在特定的信号分子精确调控下 ,由胞内信号通路介导完成的。1 .神经生长因子 (ＮＧＦ)诱导的Ｒａｓ Ｒａｆ ＭＡＰＫ原癌基因产物信号通路ＮＧＦ是第一个被发现的神经营养因子 ,它能诱导多种神经细胞的轴突快速生长 ,也能促使ＰＣ1 2细胞向交感样神经元的转变。ＮＧＦ的主要作用受体为ＴｒｋＡ ,为受体酪氨酸激酶家族成员。活化的ＴｒｋＡ通过接头分子Ｓｈｃ激活膜内表面的原癌基因产物Ｒａｓ ,活…     

大脑皮层神经元放射状迁移的分子调控机制

神经元放射状迁移是一个复杂而又精确的过程,对大脑皮层的正常发育和功能发挥起着不可忽视的作用。近几年来的研究表明,许多重要的小分子分别从不同方面参与对这一过程的调控。对这些分子的调控机制进行深入研究,将有助于我们对神经系统发育机理和相关疾病发病机制的认识。下面就目前已发现的调控神经元放射状迁移的一些关键分子机制进行综述。     

Notch和Wnt信号通路在血管形成中的协同调控作用

Notch和Wnt信号通路能够调控细胞的分化、增殖、迁移和粘附等多种行为,在胚胎发育、干细胞分化及肿瘤生长等方面发挥多样性的调控作用.血管形成过程中的典型事件包括尖端细胞(tipcell)和柄细胞(stalkcell)分化、柄细胞增殖、内皮细胞迁移和粘附、血管重塑以及动静脉分化等.本文对Notch和Wnt信号通路在血管形成不同阶段的功能作一综述,以期描述Notch和Wnt是怎样在分子水平上协同作用进而调控血管的形成.从两条信号通路的分子水平及复杂信号网络中众多成员协调作用的角度了解血管形成的机制,对于调整肿瘤等涉及血管形成的相关疾病的治疗策略具有一定意义.     

神经干细胞在学习和记忆中的作用

成年脑中不断有新神经元产生。这个过程受到如学习、记忆、运动、环境和应激等外部刺激因素的调节。尽管这些新的神经元能够迁移并整合入神经网络,但目前尚不清楚这个过程的分子调控机制,也不清楚是否需要它们来维持脑的正常功能。     

名刊封面

《科学》2007．3．2“剑入鞘”——神经元细胞的迁移嘴侧迁移流(ros- tral migratory stream, RMS)是啮齿类动物室管膜下区的神经元细胞迁移列嗅球的主要途径。但是人类的神经元细胞迁移的路线及相应的RMS一直是个谜。最近,新西兰科学家通过细胞特异性标记技术将神经元前体细胞、增殖细胞和成熟的神经元细胞进行标记后,运用磁共振影像等技术发现人类神经元细胞的迁移路线。它们从充满液体的侧脑室(封面中粉红色结构)出发,沿着一条高度局限化的迁移通道(侧脑室的延伸结构,封面中为橘红色带状结构)朝嗅球迁移,如同“剑入鞘”一般插入嗅球结构。     

B淋巴酪氨酸激酶的研究进展

B淋巴酪氨酸激酶(BLK)是SRC激酶家族成员之一,具有酪氨酸蛋白激酶活性.BLK作为“中间分子”参与免疫细胞发育、迁移和增殖等生理过程中的信号转导;在疾病进程中,BLK通常表现为表达量降低或激酶活性下降.因此,对BLK的研究将有助于探索发病机制,这对指导临床诊断和治疗具有重要意义.现对BLK的分子特点、功能及其在疾病...     

乙型脑炎病毒感染神经元细胞的固有免疫识别及其调控分子的研究进展

流行性乙型脑炎(epidemic encephalitis type B,简称乙脑)是由乙型脑炎病毒(encephalitis B virus,简称乙脑病毒)感染引起的中枢神经系统疾病。乙脑病毒感染具有明显的嗜神经性,它在神经元细胞中大量增殖并造成其损伤,以干扰素(interferons, IFNs)为核心的固有免疫应答在机体抵御乙脑病毒感染的过程中发挥重要作用。多项研究表明,乙脑病毒感染神经元细胞后,宿主细胞模式识别受体可识别病毒的结构成分,并经接头分子和转录因子等信号传递,介导IFN的产生。IFN随后激活下游干扰素信号通路,转录多种干扰素诱导基因(interferon stimulated genes, ISGs),启动宿主对病毒的固有免疫应答反应。现就乙脑病毒感染神经元细胞的固有免疫相关分子,如模式识别分子、关键接头分子、转录因子及IFN信号转导过程中相关的调控分子作一概述。     

硫酸软骨素蛋白多糖与神经系统的发育和再生

硫酸软骨素蛋白多糖（chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans,CSPGs）是中枢神经系统（CNS）细胞外基质中的重要组成成分,在CNS的发育、成熟后正常功能的维持中发挥重要功能,如发育中影响神经细胞的迁移和轴突生长,成年后参与神经可塑性的控制等;而病理条件下,如CNS受损后又可做为胶质瘢痕的重要组分抑制受损神经的再生。研究发现,用酶降解CSPGs的糖氨多糖链或阻断其合成可以有效地削弱CSPGs对受损神经的抑制作用,促进轴突再生。然而,精确调控CSPGs特定时空表达模式的分子机制,以及功能发挥所涉及的完整信号转导通路还有待进一步研究。     

The role of GSK3beta in the development of the central nervous system

Glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) is a multifunctional serine/threonine kinase.It is particularly abundant in the developing central nervous system (CNS).Since GSK3β has diverse substrates ranging fr...     

Neuronal Chemokines: Versatile Messengers In Central Nervous System Cell Interaction

Whereas chemokines are well known for their ability to induce cell migration, only recently it became evident that chemokines also control a variety of other cell functions and are versatile messengers in the interaction between a diversity of cell types. In the central nervous system (CNS), chemokines are generally found under both physiological and pathological conditions. Whereas many reports describe chemokine expression in astrocytes and microglia and their role in the migration of leukocytes into the CNS, only few studies describe chemokine expression in neurons. Nevertheless, the expression of neuronal chemokines and the corresponding chemokine receptors in CNS cells under physiological and pathological conditions indicates that neuronal chemokines contribute to CNS cell interaction. In this study, we review recent studies describing neuronal chemokine expression and discuss potential roles of neuronal chemokines in neuron–astrocyte, neuron–microglia, and neuron–neuron interaction.     

Neurovascular crosstalk coordinates the central nervous system development

Purpose of the review: The synchronic development of vascular and nervous systems is orchestrated by common molecules that regulate the communication between both systems. The identification of these common guiding cues and the developmental processes regulated by neurovascular communication are slowly emerging. In this review, we describe the molecules modulating the neurovascular development and their impact in processes such as angiogenesis, neurogenesis, neuronal migration, and brain homeostasis. Recent findings: Blood vessels not only are involved in nutrient and oxygen supply of the central nervous system (CNS) but also exert instrumental functions controlling developmental neurogenesis, CNS cytoarchitecture, and neuronal plasticity. Conversely, neurons modulate CNS vascularization and brain endothelial properties such as blood–brain barrier and vascular hyperemia. Summary: The integration of the active role of endothelial cells in the development and maintenance of neuronal function is important to obtain a more holistic view of the CNS complexity and also to understand how the vasculature is involved in neuropathological conditions.     

Small applied electric fields guide migration of hippocampal neurons

Effectively directed neuron migration is critical for development and repair in the central nervous system (CNS). Endogenous electric fields (EFs) are widespread in developing and regenerating tissues and regulate a variety of cell behaviors including directed cell migration. Electrically-directed neuronal migration has not been tested previously and we show that an applied EF directs migration of hippocampal neurons toward the cathode at a field strength of 120 mV/mm, close to the physiological range. Reversal of the field polarity reversed the direction of neuron migration. Neuron migration from an explant also was directed by an applied EF. Mechanistically, EF-guided migration was transduced by activation of the second messenger molecules ROCK (Rho-associated protein kinase) and PI3 kinase (phosphoinositide-3 kinase) since their pharmacological inhibition decreased the directedness and speed of neuron migration. This work demonstrates that rat hippocampal neurons respond to applied EFs with directional migration and raises the possibility that EFs may be used as a cue to direct neuronal migration in novel strategies to repair the CNS.     

Sprouty1 regulates neuritogenesis and survival of cortical neurons

In multicellular organisms, receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) control a variety of cellular processes, including cell proliferation, differentiation, migration, and survival. Sprouty (SPRY) proteins represent an important class of ligand-inducible inhibitors of RTK-dependent signaling pathways. Here, we investigated the role of SPRY1 in cells of the central nervous system (CNS). Expression of SPRY1 was substantially higher in neural stem cells than in cortical neurons and was increased during neuronal differentiation of cortical neurons. We found that SPRY1 was a direct target gene of the CNS-specific microRNA, miR-124 and miR-132. In primary cultures of cortical neurons, the neurotrophic factors brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and Basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF2) downregulated SPRY1 expression to positively regulate their own functions. In immature cortical neurons and mouse N₂A cells, we found that overexpression of SPRY1 inhibited neurite development, whereas knockdown of SPRY1 expression promoted neurite development. In mature neurons, overexpression of SPRY1 inhibited the prosurvival effects of both BDNF and FGF2 on glutamate-mediated neuronal cell death. SPRY1 was also upregulated upon glutamate treatment in mature neurons and partially contributed to the cytotoxic effect of glutamate. Together, our results indicate that SPRY1 contributes to the regulation of CNS functions by influencing both neuronal differentiation under normal physiological processes and neuronal survival under pathological conditions.     

Shp2 acts downstream of SDF-1α/CXCR4 in guiding granule cell migration during cerebellar development

Shp2 is a non-receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase containing two Src homology 2 (SH2) domains that is implicated in intracellular signaling events controlling cell proliferation, differentiation and migration. To examine the role of Shp2 in brain development, we created mice with Shp2 selectively deleted in neural stem/progenitor cells. Homozygous mutant mice exhibited early postnatal lethality with defects in neural stem cell self-renewal and neuronal/glial cell fate specification. Here we report a critical role of Shp2 in guiding neuronal cell migration in the cerebellum. In homozygous mutants, we observed reduced and less foliated cerebellum, ectopic presence of external granule cells and mispositioned Purkinje cells, a phenotype very similar to that of mutant mice lacking either SDF-1α or CXCR4. Consistently, Shp2-deficient granule cells failed to migrate toward SDF-1α in an in vitro cell migration assay, and SDF-1α treatment triggered a robust induction of tyrosyl phosphorylation on Shp2. Together, these results suggest that although Shp2 is involved in multiple signaling events during brain development, a prominent role of the phosphatase is to mediate SDF-1α/CXCR4 signal in guiding cerebellar granule cell migration.     

Distinct roles for ERK1 and ERK2 in pathophysiology of CNS

Mitogen-activated protein kinases ERK1 and ERK2 have been implicated in various pathophysiological events of the CNS,but their specific roles in cell processes under physiologic and pathological condit...     

Presenilin 1 in migration and morphogenesis in the central nervous system

Morphogenesis of the central nervous system relies in large part upon the correct migration of neuronal cells from birthplace to final position. Two general modes of migration govern CNS morphogenesis: radial, which is mostly glia-guided and topologically relatively simple; and tangential, which often involves complex movement of neurons in more than one direction. We describe the consequences of loss of function of presenilin 1 on these fundamental processes. Previous studies of the central nervous system in presenilin 1 homozygote mutant embryos identified a premature neuronal differentiation that is transient and localized, with cortical dysplasia at later stages. We document widespread effects on CNS morphogenesis that appear strongly linked to defective neuronal migration. Loss of presenilin 1 function perturbs both radial and tangential migration in cerebral cortex, and several tangential migratory pathways in the brainstem. The inability of cells to execute their migratory trajectories affects cortical lamination, formation of the facial branchiomotor nucleus, the spread of cerebellar granule cell precursors to form the external granule layer and development of the pontine nuclei. Finally, overall morphogenesis of the mid-hindbrain region is abnormal, resulting in incomplete midline fusion of the cerebellum and overgrowth of the caudal midbrain. These observations indicate that in the absence of presenilin 1 function, the ability of a cell to move can be severely impaired regardless of its mode of migration, and, at a grosser level, brain morphogenesis is perturbed. Our results demonstrate that presenilin 1 plays a much more important role in brain development than has been assumed, consistent with a pleiotropic involvement of this molecule in cellular signaling.