scholarly journals A 2020 view of tension-based cortical morphogenesis

2020 ◽  
Vol 117 (52) ◽  
pp. 32868-32879
Author(s):  
David C. Van Essen

Mechanical tension along the length of axons, dendrites, and glial processes has been proposed as a major contributor to morphogenesis throughout the nervous system [D. C. Van Essen, Nature 385, 313–318 (1997)]. Tension-based morphogenesis (TBM) is a conceptually simple and general hypothesis based on physical forces that help shape all living things. Moreover, if each axon and dendrite strive to shorten while preserving connectivity, aggregate wiring length would remain low. TBM can explain key aspects of how the cerebral and cerebellar cortices remain thin, expand in surface area, and acquire their distinctive folds. This article reviews progress since 1997 relevant to TBM and other candidate morphogenetic mechanisms. At a cellular level, studies of diverse cell types in vitro and in vivo demonstrate that tension plays a major role in many developmental events. At a tissue level, I propose a differential expansion sandwich plus (DES+) revision to the original TBM model for cerebral cortical expansion and folding. It invokes tangential tension and “sulcal zipping” forces along the outer cortical margin as well as tension in the white matter core, together competing against radially biased tension in the cortical gray matter. Evidence for and against the DES+ model is discussed, and experiments are proposed to address key tenets of the DES+ model. For cerebellar cortex, a cerebellar multilayer sandwich (CMS) model is proposed that can account for many distinctive features, including its unique, accordion-like folding in the adult, and experiments are proposed to address its specific tenets.

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip Pickford ◽  
Maria Lucey ◽  
Zijian Fang ◽  
Stavroula Bitsi ◽  
Johannes Broichhagen ◽  
...  

AbstractBackground and purposeAmino acid substitutions at the N-termini of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) peptides result in distinct patterns of intracellular signalling, sub-cellular trafficking and efficacy in vivo. Here we aimed to determine whether sequence differences at the ligand C-termini of clinically approved GLP-1RAs exendin-4 and lixisenatide lead to similar phenomena. We also sought to establish the impact of the C-terminus on signal bias resulting from modifications elsewhere in the molecule.Experimental approachExendin-4, lixisenatide, and N-terminally substituted analogues with biased signalling characteristics were compared across a range of in vitro trafficking and signalling assays in different cell types. Fluorescent ligands and new time-resolved FRET approaches were developed to study agonist behaviours at the cellular and sub-cellular level. Anti-hyperglycaemic and anorectic effects of each parent ligand, and their biased derivatives, were assessed in mice.Key resultsLixisenatide and exendin-4 showed equal binding affinity, but lixisenatide was 5-fold less potent for cAMP signalling. Both peptides were rapidly endocytosed, but the GLP-1R recycled more slowly to the plasma membrane after lixisenatide treatment. These combined deficits resulted in reduced maximal sustained insulin secretion and reduced anti-hyperglycaemic and anorectic effects in mice. N-terminal substitutions to both ligands had favourable effects on their pharmacology, resulting in improved insulin release and lowering of blood glucose.Conclusion and implicationsChanges to the C-terminus of exendin-4 affect signalling potency and GLP-1R trafficking via mechanisms unrelated to GLP-1R occupancy. These differences were associated with changes in their ability to control blood glucose and therefore may be therapeutically relevant.


Author(s):  
D.J.P. Ferguson ◽  
A.R. Berendt ◽  
J. Tansey ◽  
K. Marsh ◽  
C.I. Newbold

In human malaria, the most serious clinical manifestation is cerebral malaria (CM) due to infection with Plasmodium falciparum. The pathology of CM is thought to relate to the fact that red blood cells containing mature forms of the parasite (PRBC) cytoadhere or sequester to post capillary venules of various tissues including the brain. This in vivo phenomenon has been studied in vitro by examining the cytoadherence of PRBCs to various cell types and purified proteins. To date, three Ijiost receptor molecules have been identified; CD36, ICAM-1 and thrombospondin. The specific changes in the PRBC membrane which mediate cytoadherence are less well understood, but they include the sub-membranous deposition of electron-dense material resulting in surface deformations called knobs. Knobs were thought to be essential for cytoadherence, lput recent work has shown that certain knob-negative (K-) lines can cytoadhere. In the present study, we have used electron microscopy to re-examine the interactions between K+ PRBCs and both C32 amelanotic melanoma cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC).We confirm previous data demonstrating that C32 cells possess numerous microvilli which adhere to the PRBC, mainly via the knobs (Fig. 1). In contrast, the HUVEC were relatively smooth and the PRBCs appeared partially flattened onto the cell surface (Fig. 2). Furthermore, many of the PRBCs exhibited an invagination of the limiting membrane in the attachment zone, often containing a cytoplasmic process from the endothelial cell (Fig. 2).


2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (22) ◽  
pp. 2610-2619 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tarique Hussain ◽  
Ghulam Murtaza ◽  
Huansheng Yang ◽  
Muhammad S. Kalhoro ◽  
Dildar H. Kalhoro

Background: Inflammation is a complex response of the host defense system to different internal and external stimuli. It is believed that persistent inflammation may lead to chronic inflammatory diseases such as, inflammatory bowel disease, neurological and cardiovascular diseases. Oxidative stress is the main factor responsible for the augmentation of inflammation via various molecular pathways. Therefore, alleviating oxidative stress is effective a therapeutic option against chronic inflammatory diseases. Methods: This review article extends the knowledge of the regulatory mechanisms of flavonoids targeting inflammatory pathways in chronic diseases, which would be the best approach for the development of suitable therapeutic agents against chronic diseases. Results: Since the inflammatory response is initiated by numerous signaling molecules like NF-κB, MAPK, and Arachidonic acid pathways, their encountering function can be evaluated with the activation of Nrf2 pathway, a promising approach to inhibit/prevent chronic inflammatory diseases by flavonoids. Over the last few decades, flavonoids drew much attention as a potent alternative therapeutic agent. Recent clinical evidence has shown significant impacts of flavonoids on chronic diseases in different in-vivo and in-vitro models. Conclusion: Flavonoid compounds can interact with chronic inflammatory diseases at the cellular level and modulate the response of protein pathways. A promising approach is needed to overlook suitable alternative compounds providing more therapeutic efficacy and exerting fewer side effects than commercially available antiinflammatory drugs.


2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 246-255 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lara Termini ◽  
Enrique Boccardo

In vitro culture of primary or established cell lines is one of the leading techniques in many areas of basic biological research. The use of pure or highly enriched cultures of specific cell types obtained from different tissues and genetics backgrounds has greatly contributed to our current understanding of normal and pathological cellular processes. Cells in culture are easily propagated generating an almost endless source of material for experimentation. Besides, they can be manipulated to achieve gene silencing, gene overexpression and genome editing turning possible the dissection of specific gene functions and signaling pathways. However, monolayer and suspension cultures of cells do not reproduce the cell type diversity, cell-cell contacts, cell-matrix interactions and differentiation pathways typical of the three-dimensional environment of tissues and organs from where they were originated. Therefore, different experimental animal models have been developed and applied to address these and other complex issues in vivo. However, these systems are costly and time consuming. Most importantly the use of animals in scientific research poses moral and ethical concerns facing a steadily increasing opposition from different sectors of the society. Therefore, there is an urgent need for the development of alternative in vitro experimental models that accurately reproduce the events observed in vivo to reduce the use of animals. Organotypic cultures combine the flexibility of traditional culture systems with the possibility of culturing different cell types in a 3D environment that reproduces both the structure and the physiology of the parental organ. Here we present a summarized description of the use of epithelial organotypic for the study of skin physiology, human papillomavirus biology and associated tumorigenesis.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 1514 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akihiro Yachie

Since Yachie et al. reported the first description of human heme oxygenase (HO)-1 deficiency more than 20 years ago, few additional human cases have been reported in the literature. A detailed analysis of the first human case of HO-1 deficiency revealed that HO-1 is involved in the protection of multiple tissues and organs from oxidative stress and excessive inflammatory reactions, through the release of multiple molecules with anti-oxidative stress and anti-inflammatory functions. HO-1 production is induced in vivo within selected cell types, including renal tubular epithelium, hepatic Kupffer cells, vascular endothelium, and monocytes/macrophages, suggesting that HO-1 plays critical roles in these cells. In vivo and in vitro studies have indicated that impaired HO-1 production results in progressive monocyte dysfunction, unregulated macrophage activation and endothelial cell dysfunction, leading to catastrophic systemic inflammatory response syndrome. Data from reported human cases of HO-1 deficiency and numerous studies using animal models suggest that HO-1 plays critical roles in various clinical settings involving excessive oxidative stress and inflammation. In this regard, therapy to induce HO-1 production by pharmacological intervention represents a promising novel strategy to control inflammatory diseases.


Biomedicines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 630
Author(s):  
Huili Lyu ◽  
Cody M. Elkins ◽  
Jessica L. Pierce ◽  
C. Henrique Serezani ◽  
Daniel S. Perrien

Excess inflammation and canonical BMP receptor (BMPR) signaling are coinciding hallmarks of the early stages of injury-induced endochondral heterotopic ossification (EHO), especially in the rare genetic disease fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP). Multiple inflammatory signaling pathways can synergistically enhance BMP-induced Smad1/5/8 activity in multiple cell types, suggesting the importance of pathway crosstalk in EHO and FOP. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and IL-1 receptors mediate many of the earliest injury-induced inflammatory signals largely via MyD88-dependent pathways. Thus, the hypothesis that MyD88-dependent signaling is required for EHO was tested in vitro and in vivo using global or Pdgfrα-conditional deletion of MyD88 in FOP mice. As expected, IL-1β or LPS synergistically increased Activin A (ActA)-induced phosphorylation of Smad 1/5 in fibroadipoprogenitors (FAPs) expressing Alk2R206H. However, conditional deletion of MyD88 in Pdgfrα-positive cells of FOP mice did not significantly alter the amount of muscle injury-induced EHO. Even more surprisingly, injury-induced EHO was not significantly affected by global deletion of MyD88. These studies demonstrate that MyD88-dependent signaling is dispensable for injury-induced EHO in FOP mice.


Biology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 6
Author(s):  
Palaniselvam Kuppusamy ◽  
Dahye Kim ◽  
Ilavenil Soundharrajan ◽  
Inho Hwang ◽  
Ki Choon Choi

A co-culture system allows researchers to investigate the complex interactions between two cell types under various environments, such as those that promote differentiation and growth as well as those that mimic healthy and diseased states, in vitro. In this paper, we review the most common co-culture systems for myocytes and adipocytes. The in vitro techniques mimic the in vivo environment and are used to investigate the causal relationships between different cell lines. Here, we briefly discuss mono-culture and co-culture cell systems and their applicability to the study of communication between two or more cell types, including adipocytes and myocytes. Also, we provide details about the different types of co-culture systems and their applicability to the study of metabolic disease, drug development, and the role of secretory factors in cell signaling cascades. Therefore, this review provides details about the co-culture systems used to study the complex interactions between adipose and muscle cells in various environments, such as those that promote cell differentiation and growth and those used for drug development.


Micromachines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 884
Author(s):  
Marta Cherubini ◽  
Scott Erickson ◽  
Kristina Haase

Acting as the primary link between mother and fetus, the placenta is involved in regulating nutrient, oxygen, and waste exchange; thus, healthy placental development is crucial for a successful pregnancy. In line with the increasing demands of the fetus, the placenta evolves throughout pregnancy, making it a particularly difficult organ to study. Research into placental development and dysfunction poses a unique scientific challenge due to ethical constraints and the differences in morphology and function that exist between species. Recently, there have been increased efforts towards generating in vitro models of the human placenta. Advancements in the differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), microfluidics, and bioprinting have each contributed to the development of new models, which can be designed to closely match physiological in vivo conditions. By including relevant placental cell types and control over the microenvironment, these new in vitro models promise to reveal clues to the pathogenesis of placental dysfunction and facilitate drug testing across the maternal–fetal interface. In this minireview, we aim to highlight current in vitro placental models and their applications in the study of disease and discuss future avenues for these in vitro models.


Cells ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 66
Author(s):  
Rashmita Pradhan ◽  
Phuong A. Ngo ◽  
Luz d. C. Martínez-Sánchez ◽  
Markus F. Neurath ◽  
Rocío López-Posadas

Rho proteins operate as key regulators of the cytoskeleton, cell morphology and trafficking. Acting as molecular switches, the function of Rho GTPases is determined by guanosine triphosphate (GTP)/guanosine diphosphate (GDP) exchange and their lipidation via prenylation, allowing their binding to cellular membranes and the interaction with downstream effector proteins in close proximity to the membrane. A plethora of in vitro studies demonstrate the indispensable function of Rho proteins for cytoskeleton dynamics within different cell types. However, only in the last decades we have got access to genetically modified mouse models to decipher the intricate regulation between members of the Rho family within specific cell types in the complex in vivo situation. Translationally, alterations of the expression and/or function of Rho GTPases have been associated with several pathological conditions, such as inflammation and cancer. In the context of the GI tract, the continuous crosstalk between the host and the intestinal microbiota requires a tight regulation of the complex interaction between cellular components within the intestinal tissue. Recent studies demonstrate that Rho GTPases play important roles for the maintenance of tissue homeostasis in the gut. We will summarize the current knowledge on Rho protein function within individual cell types in the intestinal mucosa in vivo, with special focus on intestinal epithelial cells and T cells.


2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 261
Author(s):  
Abdelnaby Khalyfa ◽  
Wesley Warren ◽  
Jorge Andrade ◽  
Christopher A. Bottoms ◽  
Edward S. Rice ◽  
...  

Intermittent hypoxia (IH) is a hallmark of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and induces metabolic dysfunction manifesting as inflammation, increased lipolysis and insulin resistance in visceral white adipose tissues (vWAT). However, the cell types and their corresponding transcriptional pathways underlying these functional perturbations are unknown. Here, we applied single nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) coupled with aggregate RNA-seq methods to evaluate the cellular heterogeneity in vWAT following IH exposures mimicking OSA. C57BL/6 male mice were exposed to IH and room air (RA) for 6 weeks, and nuclei from vWAT were isolated and processed for snRNA-seq followed by differential expressed gene (DEGs) analyses by cell type, along with gene ontology and canonical pathways enrichment tests of significance. IH induced significant transcriptional changes compared to RA across 14 different cell types identified in vWAT. We identified cell-specific signature markers, transcriptional networks, metabolic signaling pathways, and cellular subpopulation enrichment in vWAT. Globally, we also identify 298 common regulated genes across multiple cellular types that are associated with metabolic pathways. Deconvolution of cell types in vWAT using global RNA-seq revealed that distinct adipocytes appear to be differentially implicated in key aspects of metabolic dysfunction. Thus, the heterogeneity of vWAT and its response to IH at the cellular level provides important insights into the metabolic morbidity of OSA and may possibly translate into therapeutic targets.


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