Article Abstract:
The nervous system is an extensive assembly of neurons, which receive, integrate and respond to various signals coming from the environment. The production and propagation of signals are influenced by the behavior of growth cones, which are located at the distal tip of the axon. Previous studies have shown that growth cone behavior and axon navigation are dependent on the identity of the proteins transmitting the environmental signals. The influence of two protein families, semaphorins/collapsins and netrins, on growth cone behavior are discussed.
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Article Abstract:
Roof plates and TGFbeta-related proteins were studied to determine its function in stimulating and patterning interneurons in the dorsal spinal cord. Results show that two interneurons called D1 and D2 were produced near the roof plate and its production was induced by the the TGFbeta family. Thus, it is derived that neurons are patterned due to the signals induced by the TGFbeta-related proteins in the dorsal spinal cord and later multiplied by the roof plate.
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Article Abstract:
It is uncertain which isoforms of CREB, CREM or ATF1 are expressed in neurons undergoing long-term synaptic changes. A single Aplysia CREB1 gene has been found to be homologous to both mammalian CREB and CREM. CREB1a is a transcriptional activator, required for long term facilitation, while CREB1b represses long term facilitation. CREB1 is found to encode a critical regulatory unit, that converts short to long-term synaptic changes.
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