Stanford Neurosciences Institute Seminar Series Presents
Early life experience change dendrite patterning and neuronal connectivity
Tomomi Shimogori, PhD
Team Leader of Molecular Mechanisms of Thalamus Development, RIKEN Brain Science Institute
Host: Aaron Gitler
Abstract
Many evidences suggest that early life experience changes brain function. However, how exactly experience changes neuronal activity and consequently refines neuronal circuit is largely unknown. I will introduce our recent findings, which is about detailed molecular mechanism of neuronal input dependent dendrite patterning in mammalian cerebral cortex. In our previous study, we showed BTB domain containing protein (BTBD3) plays important role to change dendrite orientation toward higher neuronal input (Matsui et al., Science 2013). We also showed that function of BTBD3 is conserved in mouse somatosensory cortex and ferret visual cortex. We have further revealed partner molecule for BTBD3 to respond to neuronal activity and remove excess dendrite. Knock out mouse of BTBD3 partner molecule showed aberrant dendrite pruning activity. Lack of BTBD3 biding domain also showed altered dendrite pruning activity in mouse somatosensory cortex. Finally we revealed that the molecular pathway is conserved in ferret visual cortex to control visual input dependent dendrite patterning in ocular dominance column. Taken together, the results implicate discrete molecular mechanisms for high-resolution sensory function, which is shaped by early life experience.
