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Correa E, Mialon M, Cizeron M, Bessereau JL, Pinan-Lucarre B, Kratsios P. UNC-30/PITX coordinates neurotransmitter identity with postsynaptic GABA receptor clustering. Development 2024; 151:dev202733. [PMID: 39190555 PMCID: PMC11385328 DOI: 10.1242/dev.202733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024]
Abstract
Terminal selectors are transcription factors that control neuronal identity by regulating expression of key effector molecules, such as neurotransmitter biosynthesis proteins and ion channels. Whether and how terminal selectors control neuronal connectivity is poorly understood. Here, we report that UNC-30 (PITX2/3), the terminal selector of GABA nerve cord motor neurons in Caenorhabditis elegans, is required for neurotransmitter receptor clustering, a hallmark of postsynaptic differentiation. Animals lacking unc-30 or madd-4B, the short isoform of the motor neuron-secreted synapse organizer madd-4 (punctin/ADAMTSL), display severe GABA receptor type A (GABAAR) clustering defects in postsynaptic muscle cells. Mechanistically, UNC-30 acts directly to induce and maintain transcription of madd-4B and GABA biosynthesis genes (e.g. unc-25/GAD, unc-47/VGAT). Hence, UNC-30 controls GABAA receptor clustering in postsynaptic muscle cells and GABA biosynthesis in presynaptic cells, transcriptionally coordinating two crucial processes for GABA neurotransmission. Further, we uncover multiple target genes and a dual role for UNC-30 as both an activator and a repressor of gene transcription. Our findings on UNC-30 function may contribute to our molecular understanding of human conditions, such as Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome, caused by PITX2 and PITX3 gene variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edgar Correa
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
- Committee on Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Morgane Mialon
- Melis, Universite Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS UMR5284, INSERM U1314, Institut NeuroMyoGene - Faculte de Medecine et de Pharmacie, 69008 Lyon, France
| | - Mélissa Cizeron
- Melis, Universite Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS UMR5284, INSERM U1314, Institut NeuroMyoGene - Faculte de Medecine et de Pharmacie, 69008 Lyon, France
| | - Jean-Louis Bessereau
- Melis, Universite Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS UMR5284, INSERM U1314, Institut NeuroMyoGene - Faculte de Medecine et de Pharmacie, 69008 Lyon, France
| | - Berangere Pinan-Lucarre
- Melis, Universite Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS UMR5284, INSERM U1314, Institut NeuroMyoGene - Faculte de Medecine et de Pharmacie, 69008 Lyon, France
| | - Paschalis Kratsios
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
- Committee on Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
- University of Chicago Neuroscience Institute, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
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2
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Zhang L, Yang H. Research progress of neural stem cells as a source of dopaminergic neurons for cell therapy in Parkinson's disease. Mol Biol Rep 2024; 51:347. [PMID: 38400887 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-024-09294-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease, the most characteristic pathological feature is the progressive loss of dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the substantia nigra pars compactus (SNpc) of the mesencephalon, along with reduced dopamine content in the striatum. Researchers have been searching for drugs and therapies to treat PD in decades. However, no approach could stop the progression of the disease, and even some of them caused adverse clinical side effects. PD has a well-defined lesion. Therefore, it is considered to be one of the most curable central nervous system diseases by cell replacement treatment. Fetal ventral mesencephalic tissue transplantation has been used to treat patients with PD and obtained positive treatment results. However, ethical issues, such as limited donor tissue, and side effects including graft-induced dyskinesias, limit its clinical applications. Neural stem cell (NSC) transplantation is a viable therapy choice because it possesses multipotency, self-renewal ability, and differentiation into DA neurons, which may substitute for lost DA neurons and slow down the neurodegenerative process in PD. Studies that investigated the delivery of NSCs by using animal models of PD revealed survival, migration, and even amelioration of behavioral deficits. Here, the research progress of NSCs or NSC-derived DA neurons in treating PD was reviewed, and the practicability of present manufacturing processes for clinical testing was considered. This review is expected to offer ideas for practical strategies to solve the present technical and biological problems related to the clinical application of NSCs in PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingling Zhang
- Translational Medicine Center, Honghui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, 555 East Youyi Road, Beilin District, Xi'an, 710054, China.
| | - Hao Yang
- Translational Medicine Center, Honghui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, 555 East Youyi Road, Beilin District, Xi'an, 710054, China
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Correa E, Mialon M, Cizeron M, Bessereau JL, Pinan-Lucarre B, Kratsios P. UNC-30/PITX coordinates neurotransmitter identity with postsynaptic GABA receptor clustering. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.14.580278. [PMID: 38405977 PMCID: PMC10888783 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.14.580278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Terminal selectors are transcription factors that control neuronal identity by regulating the expression of key effector molecules, such as neurotransmitter (NT) biosynthesis proteins, ion channels and neuropeptides. Whether and how terminal selectors control neuronal connectivity is poorly understood. Here, we report that UNC-30 (PITX2/3), the terminal selector of GABA motor neuron identity in C. elegans , is required for NT receptor clustering, a hallmark of postsynaptic differentiation. Animals lacking unc-30 or madd-4B, the short isoform of the MN-secreted synapse organizer madd-4 ( Punctin/ADAMTSL ), display severe GABA receptor type A (GABA A R) clustering defects in postsynaptic muscle cells. Mechanistically, UNC-30 acts directly to induce and maintain transcription of madd-4B and GABA biosynthesis genes (e.g., unc-25/GAD , unc-47/VGAT ). Hence, UNC-30 controls GABA A R clustering on postsynaptic muscle cells and GABA biosynthesis in presynaptic cells, transcriptionally coordinating two critical processes for GABA neurotransmission. Further, we uncover multiple target genes and a dual role for UNC-30 both as an activator and repressor of gene transcription. Our findings on UNC-30 function may contribute to our molecular understanding of human conditions, such as Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome, caused by PITX2 and PITX3 gene mutations.
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Provasek VE, Kodavati M, Guo W, Wang H, Boldogh I, Van Den Bosch L, Britz G, Hegde ML. lncRNA Sequencing Reveals Neurodegeneration-Associated FUS Mutations Alter Transcriptional Landscape of iPS Cells That Persists in Motor Neurons. Cells 2023; 12:2461. [PMID: 37887305 PMCID: PMC10604943 DOI: 10.3390/cells12202461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Fused-in sarcoma (FUS) gene mutations have been implicated in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This study aimed to investigate the impact of FUS mutations (R521H and P525L) on the transcriptome of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and iPSC-derived motor neurons (iMNs). Using RNA sequencing (RNA Seq), we characterized differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differentially expressed lncRNAs (DELs) and subsequently predicted lncRNA-mRNA target pairs (TAR pairs). Our results show that FUS mutations significantly altered the expression profiles of mRNAs and lncRNAs in iPSCs. Using this large dataset, we identified and verified six key differentially regulated TAR pairs in iPSCs that were also altered in iMNs. These target transcripts included: GPR149, NR4A, LMO3, SLC15A4, ZNF404, and CRACD. These findings indicated that selected mutant FUS-induced transcriptional alterations persist from iPSCs into differentiated iMNs. Functional enrichment analyses of DEGs indicated pathways associated with neuronal development and carcinogenesis as likely altered by these FUS mutations. Furthermore, ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) and GO network analysis of lncRNA-targeted mRNAs indicated associations between RNA metabolism, lncRNA regulation, and DNA damage repair. Our findings provide insights into potential molecular mechanisms underlying the pathophysiology of ALS-associated FUS mutations and suggest potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent E. Provasek
- Division of DNA Repair Research within the Center for Neuroregeneration, Department of Neurosurgery, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (V.E.P.); (M.K.); (H.W.)
- School of Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Manohar Kodavati
- Division of DNA Repair Research within the Center for Neuroregeneration, Department of Neurosurgery, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (V.E.P.); (M.K.); (H.W.)
| | - Wenting Guo
- INSERM, UMR-S1118, Mécanismes Centraux et Périphériques de la Neurodégénérescence, Université de Strasbourg, CRBS, 67000 Strasbourg, France;
- VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Stem Cell Institute, Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium;
| | - Haibo Wang
- Division of DNA Repair Research within the Center for Neuroregeneration, Department of Neurosurgery, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (V.E.P.); (M.K.); (H.W.)
| | - Istvan Boldogh
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA;
| | - Ludo Van Den Bosch
- Stem Cell Institute, Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium;
| | - Gavin Britz
- Department of Neurosurgery, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Muralidhar L. Hegde
- Division of DNA Repair Research within the Center for Neuroregeneration, Department of Neurosurgery, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (V.E.P.); (M.K.); (H.W.)
- School of Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA
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Kato T, Nishimura K, Hirao M, Shimohama S, Takata K. Expression and role of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors during midbrain dopaminergic neuron differentiation from human induced pluripotent stem cells. Neuropsychopharmacol Rep 2023; 43:440-445. [PMID: 37366076 PMCID: PMC10496050 DOI: 10.1002/npr2.12361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
AIM Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) expressed in midbrain dopaminergic (mDA) neurons modulate mDA neuronal activity. However, their expression patterns and functional roles during mDA neuronal development remain unknown. Here, we profiled the expression and function of nAChR subtypes during mDA neuron differentiation from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs). METHODS Midbrain dopaminergic neurons were differentiated from hiPSCs using a recently developed proprietary method that replicates midbrain development. The expression patterns of developmental marker proteins were monitored during mDA neuronal differentiation using immunohistochemical analysis. Gene expression of nAChR subtypes was analyzed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Pharmacological nAChR agonists and antagonists were used to reveal the role of the α6 nAChR subunit in the differentiation of mDA neurons from hiPSCs. RESULTS CHRNA4 expression was detected at the mDA neural progenitor stage, whereas CHRNA6 expression began during the mDA neuronal stage. CHRNA7 was expressed throughout the differentiation process, including in the undifferentiated hiPSCs. We also found that LMO3, a gene expressed in a subset of substantia nigra pars compacta (SNC) DA neurons in the midbrain, showed increased expression following nicotine treatment in a concentration-dependent manner. Additionally, 5-iodo A85380, a selective α6 nAChR agonist, also increased LMO3 expression in hiPSC-derived mDA neurons, and this increase was suppressed by simultaneous treatment with bPiDi, a selective α6 nAChR antagonist. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that stimulating the α6 nAChR subunit on hiPSC-derived mDA neurons may induce neuronal maturation that is biased toward SNC DA neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takeshi Kato
- Joint Research Laboratory, Division of Integrated Pharmaceutical ScienceKyoto Pharmaceutical UniversityKyotoJapan
| | - Kaneyasu Nishimura
- Joint Research Laboratory, Division of Integrated Pharmaceutical ScienceKyoto Pharmaceutical UniversityKyotoJapan
- Laboratory of Functional Brain Circuit Construction, Graduate School of Brain ScienceDoshisha UniversityKyotanabeJapan
| | - Masahiro Hirao
- Joint Research Laboratory, Division of Integrated Pharmaceutical ScienceKyoto Pharmaceutical UniversityKyotoJapan
| | - Shun Shimohama
- Department of Neurology, School of MedicineSapporo Medical UniversitySapporoJapan
- Jiseikai Dementia CenterItabashiJapan
- Jiseikai Nerima Takanodai HospitalNerimaJapan
| | - Kazuyuki Takata
- Joint Research Laboratory, Division of Integrated Pharmaceutical ScienceKyoto Pharmaceutical UniversityKyotoJapan
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Ásgrímsdóttir ES, Arenas E. Midbrain Dopaminergic Neuron Development at the Single Cell Level: In vivo and in Stem Cells. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:463. [PMID: 32733875 PMCID: PMC7357704 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.00463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2020] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that predominantly affects dopaminergic (DA) neurons of the substantia nigra. Current treatment options for PD are symptomatic and typically involve the replacement of DA neurotransmission by DA drugs, which relieve the patients of some of their motor symptoms. However, by the time of diagnosis, patients have already lost about 70% of their substantia nigra DA neurons and these drugs offer only temporary relief. Therefore, cell replacement therapy has garnered much interest as a potential treatment option for PD. Early studies using human fetal tissue for transplantation in PD patients provided proof of principle for cell replacement therapy, but they also highlighted the ethical and practical difficulties associated with using human fetal tissue as a cell source. In recent years, advancements in stem cell research have made human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) an attractive source of material for cell replacement therapy. Studies on how DA neurons are specified and differentiated in the developing mouse midbrain have allowed us to recapitulate many of the positional and temporal cues needed to generate DA neurons in vitro. However, little is known about the developmental programs that govern human DA neuron development. With the advent of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and bioinformatics, it has become possible to analyze precious human samples with unprecedented detail and extract valuable high-quality information from large data sets. This technology has allowed the systematic classification of cell types present in the human developing midbrain along with their gene expression patterns. By studying human development in such an unbiased manner, we can begin to elucidate human DA neuron development and determine how much it differs from our knowledge of the rodent brain. Importantly, this molecular description of the function of human cells has become and will increasingly be a reference to define, evaluate, and engineer cell types for PD cell replacement therapy and disease modeling.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ernest Arenas
- Division of Molecular Neurobiology, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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Vaswani AR, Weykopf B, Hagemann C, Fried HU, Brüstle O, Blaess S. Correct setup of the substantia nigra requires Reelin-mediated fast, laterally-directed migration of dopaminergic neurons. eLife 2019; 8:41623. [PMID: 30689541 PMCID: PMC6349407 DOI: 10.7554/elife.41623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2018] [Accepted: 01/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Midbrain dopaminergic (mDA) neurons migrate to form the laterally-located substantia nigra pars compacta (SN) and medially-located ventral tegmental area (VTA), but little is known about the underlying cellular and molecular processes. Here we visualize the dynamic cell morphologies of tangentially migrating SN-mDA neurons in 3D and identify two distinct migration modes. Slow migration is the default mode in SN-mDA neurons, while fast, laterally-directed migration occurs infrequently and is strongly associated with bipolar cell morphology. Tangential migration of SN-mDA neurons is altered in absence of Reelin signaling, but it is unclear whether Reelin acts directly on migrating SN-mDA neurons and how it affects their cell morphology and migratory behavior. By specifically inactivating Reelin signaling in mDA neurons we demonstrate its direct role in SN-mDA tangential migration. Reelin promotes laterally-biased movements in mDA neurons during their slow migration mode, stabilizes leading process morphology and increases the probability of fast, laterally-directed migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ankita Ravi Vaswani
- Neurodevelopmental Genetics, Institute of Reconstructive Neurobiology, University of Bonn School of Medicine & University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Beatrice Weykopf
- Institute of Reconstructive Neurobiology, University of Bonn School of Medicine & University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Cathleen Hagemann
- Neurodevelopmental Genetics, Institute of Reconstructive Neurobiology, University of Bonn School of Medicine & University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Hans-Ulrich Fried
- Light Microscope Facility, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Bonn, Germany
| | - Oliver Brüstle
- Institute of Reconstructive Neurobiology, University of Bonn School of Medicine & University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Sandra Blaess
- Neurodevelopmental Genetics, Institute of Reconstructive Neurobiology, University of Bonn School of Medicine & University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
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Savarese A, Lasek AW. Regulation of anxiety-like behavior and Crhr1 expression in the basolateral amygdala by LMO3. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2018; 92:13-20. [PMID: 29609111 PMCID: PMC5924609 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.03.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2017] [Revised: 02/20/2018] [Accepted: 03/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The LIM domain only protein LMO3 is a transcriptional regulator that has been shown to regulate several behavioral responses to alcohol. Specifically, Lmo3 null (Lmo3Z) mice consume more ethanol in a binge-drinking test and show enhanced ethanol-induced sedation. Due to the high comorbidity of alcohol use and anxiety, we investigated anxiety-like behavior in Lmo3Z mice. Lmo3Z mice spent more time in the open arms of the elevated plus maze compared with their wild-type littermates, but the effect was confounded by reduced locomotor activity. To verify the anxiety phenotype in the Lmo3Z mice, we tested them for novelty-induced hypophagia and found that they also showed reduced anxiety in this test. We next explored the mechanism by which LMO3 might regulate anxiety by measuring mRNA and protein levels of corticotropin releasing factor (encoded by the Crh gene) and its receptor type 1 (Crhr1) in Lmo3Z mice. Reduced Crhr1 mRNA and protein was evident in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) of Lmo3Z mice. To examine whether Lmo3 in the amygdala is important for anxiety-like behavior, we locally reduced Lmo3 expression in the BLA of wild type mice using a lentiviral vector expressing a short hairpin RNA targeting the Lmo3 transcript. Mice with Lmo3 knockdown in the BLA exhibited decreased anxiety-like behavior relative to control mice. These results suggest that Lmo3 promotes anxiety-like behavior specifically in the BLA, possibly by altering Crhr1 expression. This study is the first to support a role for Lmo3 in anxiety-like behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonia Savarese
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics and Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612 USA; Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612 USA.
| | - Amy W. Lasek
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics and Department of
Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612 USA,Corresponding author: Amy W. Lasek, Ph.D., Department of
Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1601 W. Taylor St, MC 912,
Chicago, IL 60612, Phone: 312-355-1593,
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Smidt MP. Molecular Programming of Mesodiencephalic Dopaminergic Neuronal Subsets. Front Neuroanat 2017; 11:59. [PMID: 28769772 PMCID: PMC5515899 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2017.00059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2017] [Accepted: 07/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Dopamine neurons of the substantia nigra compacta (SNc) and ventral tegmental area (VTA) are critical components of the neuronal machinery to control emotion and movement in mammals. The slow and gradual death of these neurons as seen in Parkinson's disease has triggered a large investment in research toward unraveling the molecular determinants that are used to generate these neurons and to get an insight in their apparent selective vulnerability. Here, I set out to summarize the current view on the molecular distinctions that exist within this mesodiencephalic dopamine (mdDA) system and elaborate on the molecular programming that is responsible for creating such diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marten P Smidt
- Molecular NeuroScience, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of AmsterdamAmsterdam, Netherlands
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