Golgi-Cox modifications for the impregnation of whole mount preparations of organotypic cultures of the CNS

Regulation of estrogen receptor alpha gene expression in the mouse prefrontal cortex during early postnatal development

Estrogens have many functions in the developing rodent brain, and most of these depend on the presence of estrogen receptors. Understanding how expression of these receptors are regulated is crucial for understanding the roles of estradiol in the male and female brain during development In rodents, the prefrontal cortex (PFC) has been shown to be involved in working memory, attention, and behavioral inhibition. Many studies have demonstrated an effect of estradiol on sex difference in these functions attributed to differences in the PFC. We have previously demonstrated that estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) expression decreases in the isocortex across early postnatal development. This decrease corresponds with an increase in methylation of many sites along the ERα promoter. Here we have examined both ERα and ERβ mRNA expression in the PFC to determine if methylation also plays a role in this important brain region. We investigated expression of alternate promoters for ERα and methylation of CpG sites along two of these promoters. We found that the pattern of ERα mRNA expression in PFC was similar to the pattern of ERα expression in the isocortex and that there were no sex differences in the level of expression across development. We did, however, find subtle differences in promoter expression and methylation that may indicate a sex-specific difference in PFC during development resulting in a difference in adult response.

Epigenetic regulation of estrogen receptor alpha gene expression in the mouse cortex during early postnatal development

Estrogens play a critical role in brain development by acting on areas that express estrogen receptors. In the rodent cortex, estrogen receptor alpha (ER alpha) mRNA expression is high early in postnatal development but declines starting at postnatal day (PND) 10 and is virtually absent in the adult cortex. The mechanisms controlling this regulation are largely unknown. Methylation is important for gene silencing during development in many tissues, including the brain. In the present study, we examined the methylation status of ER alpha 5' untranslated exons during early postnatal development in male and female mice using methylation-specific PCR and pyrosequencing. Several regions of ER alpha promoter displayed a significant increase in methylation at PND 18 and 25 compared with PND 4. DNA methyltransferases (DNMT) are important for the initiation and maintenance of methylation. Real-time PCR showed that DNMT3A, the de novo DNMT peaked at PND 10 and was decreased by PND 25. DNMT1, which is important for maintenance of methylation, increased across development and stayed high in adult cortex. The methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MeCP2) is also important for stabilization of methylation. A chromatin immunoprecipitation assay showed a correlation between association of MeCP2 with ER alpha promoter and the increase in methylation and decrease in ER alpha expression after PND 10. In mice containing a mutant MeCP2 protein, ER alpha mRNA expression and promoter methylation patterns across development were different compared with wild-type mice. These data suggest that methylation of ER alpha promoters regulates ER alpha mRNA expression in the cortex during postnatal development in a MeCP2-dependent fashion.

Androgen increases the number of cells in fetal mouse spinal cord cultures: implications for motoneuron survival

Androgen effects were studied in organotypic cultures of the E12 fetal mouse lumbosacral spinal cord labeled in utero with [3H]thymidine on E10. Following continuous exposure to androgens for one month in vitro, the number of labeled cells was significantly increased in whole explants, and in hemisected segments in the presence or absence of co-cultured fetal thigh muscle. Because lumbosacral motoneurons undergo their final mitosis predominantly on E10 and thus remain permanently labeled, the results suggest that androgens increase neuronal numbers by directly modulating motoneuron survival rather than stimulating mitosis. These findings demonstrate for the first time that in addition to the well documented role of the muscle target in motoneuron survival, the direct neuronotrophic effects of androgen at the level of the spinal cord must also be considered.

Sex steroids and the development of the newborn mouse hypothalamus and preoptic area in vitro: III. Effects of estrogen on dendritic differentiation

Gonadal steroids have previously been shown to enhance neuritic outgrowth from mouse preoptic area explants in vitro. To examine effects within the explant proper, dendritic fields of Golgi-stained neurons of estradiol-treated and untreated cultures were compared quantitatively. Neurons of gonadal steroid-treated cultures had significantly more dendrites arising from the cell body. Since bifurcation probability did not differ between the treatments, the primary effect of estradiol treatment appears to be induction of dendritic branches from the soma. This indicates that intra-explant dendrites, like extra-explant neurites, proliferate in response to estradiol treatment and suggests the involvement of hormone-stimulated dendrogenesis in sexual differentiation of the brain.

The Purkinje neuron: I. A Golgi study of its development in the mouse and in culture

The development of the Purkinje neuron was studied in organotypic culture and compared to that occurring in the intact animal, using a modified Golgi-Cox method. The post-natal sequence of development in the intact animal occurred in five distinct stages beginning with (1) an immature state (0-3 days), (2) a stage of perisomatic dendritic processes (4-6 days), and then (3) a stage characterized by the presence of spines on the soma region (7-10 days). This stage of somatic spines has not been delineated previously in Golgi studies of the Purkinje cell during its development. There was no evidence that the lateral somatic processes resorb; rather they continue to grow and develop into dendritic branches. It is proposed that by a process of perikaryal translocation, the soma region becomes transferred "downward," resulting in an elongation of the primary, apical dendrite (stage 4, 11-14 days). Beyond 15 days (stage 5) the dendritic branches grow to the pial surface and the neuron has its full complement of secondary, tertiary, and spiny branches. In culture, the development parallels that occurring in the intact animal during the first 10 days (stages 1, 2, 3) despite the absence of extracerebellar afferents and the special conditions of the culture. However, there is an overall absence of lamination of the cortex, the Purkinje neurons do not align, and the developmental process is modified because of the failure of the process of perikaryal translocation in culture. The resultant mature neuron has an altered morphology characterized by the presence of several dendrites and spines attached to the soma, and also lacks the complete development of the smaller dendritic branches.