Cell Biology ePosters

Animals are dynamical systems possessing a wide range of capabilities mediated by interactions between their constitutive cells. The brain, central integrator and coordinator of bodily output, solves problems in the context of bodily needs, driven by external environmental signals and internal bodily signals. While…

Activity-dependent structural plasticity plays a pivotal role in the self-organization of neuronal networks. Emerging activity continuously feeds back into the growth process, regulating connectivity and activity homeostatically towards an optimal functional dynamic range. Transferred into cell culture, neurons follow…

AMPA receptors (AMPARs) mediate fast excitatory neurotransmission and participate in memory formation. Synaptic strength is proportional to the number of AMPARs in the postsynaptic membrane. Previous models of AMPA receptor trafficking can explain their fast, brief incorporation in dendritic spines after LTP induction…

The interplay of the calcium concentration and the anatomical structure at the presynaptic zone of presynaptic boutons is an important challenge of the relationship of form and function in (computational) neuroscience. A simple model system to study such basic effects is the neuromuscular junction of the Drosophila…

Understanding how neurons regulate their protein composition to refine synaptic connections across millimeters of space provides critical insights into the mechanisms of synaptic plasticity. The discovery of local protein synthesis in subcellular compartments has shown how neuronal activity can locally meet the…

Understanding the mechanisms regulating Ca2+ concentrations in the presynapse is crucial for synaptic function. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) acts as a finite calcium store and can modulate calcium signals involved in presynaptic neurotransmitter release. While computational studies have shed light on the…

Astrocytes play a crucial role in regulating synaptic strength and orchestrating synaptic plasticity, which is fundamental for learning and memory. However, the specific mechanisms by which astrocytes and their neuroactive transmitters, like D-serine, control these processes remain largely unexplored. D-serine, a…

Neurons use a variety of strategies, including local protein synthesis and pre-established protein pools inside dendrites, to maintain the dynamic proteome requirements for appropriate synaptic activity. While certain proteins have local mRNA that allows for on-demand synthesis at the synapse, the vast majority do…

The emergence of spontaneous activity in the form of synchronized bursting events (SBE) is considered to play a crucial role in activity-dependent development of neuronal networks. As inhibition matures, the spatiotemporal structure of activity becomes increasingly influenced by the balance between excitation and…

Memory and learning are significantly influenced by long-term changes in synaptic strength, though the exact molecular mechanisms remain unclear. The postsynaptic density (PSD) is a critical component for storing and organizing synaptic long-term changes. The PSD itself is organized into complex nano-clusters, which…

The evolution of the Na$^+$/K$^+$-ATPase in ancestral methanogenic archaea also lay the foundation for the energetics of energy-intensive signaling tissues like the metazoan nervous systems billions of years later [1]. The electrogenic property of this pump, which leads to activity-dependent feedback [2], seems a…

The functioning of a synapse depends on its accessibility to proteins and, thus, on the localization of protein sources along the dendrite (Westenbroek 2009, Vacher et al. 2008). Therefore, the behaviour of the synapse highly depends on the availability of proteins and ion channels and any perturbation in the…

Parkinson's disease (PD), characterized by the absence of dopamine in the striatum[1], is caused by the death of the substantia nigra pars compacta dopamine (SNcDA) neurons in the midbrain. The loss of these autonomously pacemaking[2] neurons is attributed to irreparable damage due to a dysregulation cascade starting…

Activity dependent synaptic plasticity is widely believed to play the major role in learning and memory. Moreover, the robustness of formed memories is dependent on the stability of synapses. However, recent studies have shown that synapses undergo a significant volatility which are activity independent [1]. This…

Activity-dependent structural plasticity (ADSP) plays a significant role in the homeostatic regulation of neuronal connectivity and activity in developing neuronal networks. This process involves intricate activity-dependent interaction between neuronal growth and migration, which shapes synaptic connections and…

Excessive capillary flow heterogeneity results in a microcirculatory dysfunction and hinders optimal oxygen delivery into central nervous system (CNS). Irregularities in cellular flow, like dynamic stalls in capillaries is a potential origin of this heterogeneity. Because under systemic inflammatory conditions…

The proportion of aged individuals in the general population is increasing, and non-communicable diseases like obesity are major contributors to mortality in older individuals. The WNIN/Ob obese rat exhibits a significantly reduced average lifespan of 15 months. Exploring molecular and biochemical characteristics of…

Glial cells show great diversity and differ in terms of their functional roles. Microglia, oligodendrocytes, and astrocytes interact with neurons and thus ensure the functionality of the neurons. However, little is known about how they interact with different neuronal cell types. We investigate glial and neuronal…

Astrocyte calcium signals are region-specific and state-dependent across the sleep-wake cycle. However, their role in sleep regulation remains poorly understood. Since the pons is critical for sleep, especially rapid eye movement (REM) sleep regulation, we investigate the dynamics of pontine astrocyte calcium signals…

The hippocampal mossy fiber bouton to CA3 pyramidal neuron (MFB-PN) synapse has an important role in information processing and storage, whose efficacy is under profound modulation. Activation of presynaptic GABAB receptors (GABABRs) reduces extracellularly evoked EPSC amplitudes and mediates heterosynaptic depression…

Brain ageing in mice leads to the progressive appearance of degenerative granular structures frequently referred to as “PAS granules” because of their positive staining with periodic acid-Schiff (PAS). It has been reported that these granules contain neo-epitopes that can be recognised by natural IgM auto-antibodies,…

WNT signaling is aberrantly activated in human tumors including gliomas. Promoter methylation and expression of WNT pathway’s negative regulators, DKK1 and DKK3, and positive, GSK3β, together with two signaling antagonists, SFRP1 and SFRP3, were investigated in human gliomas. Gliomas, paired blood and FFPE slides were…

Omentin-1 (OMNT1), is adipokine involved in regulation of energy metabolism, insulin sensitivity, and reproduction. Our previous study documented expression and in vitro effect of OMNT1 on endocrine function of porcine anterior pituitary cells. However, its role in hypothalamus remains unknown. The present study…

Oxidative stress and neuroinflammation are crucial phenomena in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer disease (AD). Oxotremorine-M (Oxo), a non-selective muscarinic acetylcholine receptors agonist, exerts neurotrophic functions in primary neurons and modulates oxidative stress and neuroinflammation phenomena in rat brain.…