830.full.pdf (5.17 MB)
The assembly of developing motor neurons depends on an interplay between spontaneous activity, type II cadherins and gap junctions
journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-09, 08:29 authored by Karli Montague, Andrew S Lowe, Ana Uzquiano, Athene Knüfer, Marc Astick, Stephen R Price, Sarah GuthrieSarah GuthrieA core structural and functional motif of the vertebrate central nervous system is discrete clusters of neurons or ‘nuclei’. Yet the developmental mechanisms underlying this fundamental mode of organisation are largely unknown. We have previously shown that the assembly of motor neurons into nuclei depends on cadherin-mediated adhesion. Here, we demonstrate that the emergence of mature topography among motor nuclei involves a novel interplay between spontaneous activity, cadherin expression and gap junction communication. We report that nuclei display spontaneous calcium transients, and that changes in the activity patterns coincide with the course of nucleogenesis. We also find that these activity patterns are disrupted by manipulating cadherin or gap junction expression. Furthermore, inhibition of activity disrupts nucleogenesis, suggesting that activity feeds back to maintain integrity among motor neurons within a nucleus. Our study suggests that a network of interactions between cadherins, gap junctions and spontaneous activity governs neuron assembly, presaging circuit formation.
History
Publication status
- Published
File Version
- Published version
Journal
DevelopmentISSN
0950-1991Publisher
The company of biologistsExternal DOI
Issue
5Volume
144Page range
830-836Department affiliated with
- Neuroscience Publications
Full text available
- Yes
Peer reviewed?
- Yes
Legacy Posted Date
2017-10-27First Open Access (FOA) Date
2018-02-28First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date
2017-10-27Usage metrics
Categories
No categories selectedKeywords
Licence
Exports
RefWorks
BibTeX
Ref. manager
Endnote
DataCite
NLM
DC