Specification and Differentiation of Neural Elements
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Work in progress, expect frequent changes. Help and feedback is welcome. See discussion page. |
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Contents
- 1 Preknowledge, Objectives and Competencies
- 2 Preknowledge
- 3 Competencies
- 4 Activities and Reading Material
- 5 Reading
- 6 Assignments
- 7 Assignment
- 8 Question
- 9 Question
- 10 Question
- 11 Question
- 12 Question
- 13 Question
- 14 Question
- 15 Question
- 16 Additional study material
- 17 Media
- 18 Web Resources
- 19 Related Content
Preknowledge, Objectives and Competencies
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In this unit we will build on our prior knowledge to examine the processes that determine the differentiation of the different neuronal elements of the brain. We will revisit some of the concepts introduced in Unit 2 and Unit 4 and apply those concepts to the development of the spinal cord. We will explore the role of positional information, the action of morphogens and lateral signals and date of birth on the final fate of the derivatives of the neuroepithelium |
At the end of this unit you should be able to:
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Activities and Reading Material
| During class, we will use the diagrams and table provided to examine the role of different molecules and genes in the formation of the DV axis. We will identify the gene expression patterns that characterise the developmental processes that give rise to differentiated neurons, and those that control the final number of neurons that are produced. We will use the tables provided in the lecture notes to summarise the origin and roles of different genes and molecules during the processes examined in lecture. We will use these summaries to predict the possible effects that mutations or disturbances of these molecular pathways may have on the development of the nervous system.
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- Purves et al Chapter 22 (pp 562-568)
- Jacobsen Chapter 5 (pp. 137-141, starting with section: 'Neuroepithelial cells are multipotent and have positional identity')
Assignments
| After class, you are expected to review your notes and use the assigned reading material to complete a descriptive table of the different genes and molecules involved in the development of different neural elements in the central nervous system. You are expected to contribute to the questions and definitions sections below. Please use the discussion page if you want to discuss any particular topic on the material. You are also welcome to add links to videos or audio files in the Media box or links to online resources in the Web Resources box below. |
Questions
| How does the Delta/Notch pathway regulate the number of neurons that are ultimately produced? |
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| Which processes described in Unit 2 are involved in the generation of neurons? Explain. |
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| What congenital defects would you expect to see following mutations of the genes covered in class? |
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| What is the proposed mechanism of action of bHLH proteins? |
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| What determines the ultimate phenotype of a neuron? |
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Definitions
You should be able to provide structural and functional definitions for the structures/terms associated with this topic:
(proneural genes, bHLH genes, lateral inhibition, multipotency, competence restriction, ependymal zone, mantle zone, marginal zone, radial glia, tanycites).
| Proneural Genes: |
Enter your definition here
| bHLH genes: |
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| Lateral Inhibition: |
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| Multipotency: |
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| Competence Restriction: |
Enter your definition here
| Ependymal Zone: |
Enter your definition here
| Mantle Zone: |
Enter your definition here
| Marginal Zone: |
Enter your definition here
| Radial Glia: |
Enter your definition here
| Tanycyte: |
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| Genes and molecules: Fill in the table. |
Please visit the tables in Unit 3 and Unit 4 and fill in the new roles of genes/molecules discussed in this Unit.
| Molecule/Gene | Produced by/in | Acts on | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neurogenin | |||
| NeuroD | |||
| Notch | |||
| Delta | |||
| Mash1 | |||
| Serrate | |||
| Jagged |
Additional study material
Add Links to media resources here
Add Links to Web Resources here
Related Content
Go back to the introductory page, return to Unit 6: The Ectodermal Placodes or continue with Unit 8: Neuronal Migration.
