Topic: choline acetyltransferase

The primary and progressive degeneration of motor system is the main pathogenic process that characterizes amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which is a fatal neurodegenerative disease of motor neurons (MN) in the primary motor cortex and spinal cord. Patients’ death occurs in 3–5 years after the diagnosis due to the progressive palsy and dysfunction of the respiratory system. The etiology is known in most of the patients with the most frequent sporadic ALS (90%), and clinical onset and symptoms are highly heterogeneous. Irrespective of the cause and initial onset the ALS is an almost select

D-galactose-injected rodent models recapitulate many features of brain aging. The alterations in the septo-hippocampal network associated with memory decline in rat model of aging induced by D-galactose (D-gal) administration are not defined. The present study was designed to determine changes in the number of cholinergic (choline acetyltransferase immunoreactive – ChAT-ir) and GABAergic (parvalbumine immunoreactive – PV-ir) medial septum (MS) projection neurons and the hippocampal cholinergic activity and how these changes are associated with mnemonic dysfunction in a rat model of aging induc

Despite the widespread use of mice in neuroscience, rats offer unique benefits for translational research. However, comprehensive methodologies like tissue clearing and quantitative light-sheet microscopy, common in mouse studies, are scarce for rats. This gap is partly due to a lack of robust computational tools, limiting the use of rats in large-scale, unbiased experiments. Our study leverages recent advancements, including a detailed MRI-based rat brain atlas with 222 regions and an average light sheet template, to conduct an extensive analysis. Despite its comprehensiveness, this atlas fro

The habenula is a phylogenetically conserved bilateral brain structure known to modulate negative emotions. Hemispheric asymmetry in cortical areas plays a key role in behavior and cognition. Although habenular asymmetry is prominent in several vertebrate species, there is little evidence for left-right asymmetry in the mammalian habenula. To investigate the asymmetry in synaptic transmission in the medial habenula (MHb) to the interpeduncular nucleus (IPN) pathway in mice, we performed targeted electrical stimulation of left or right MHb-derived axons in acute slices. We discovered that the p

The eyes are highly mobile organs, and their direction and position rely on visual and proprioceptive information. Surprisingly, classical proprioceptors (muscle spindles and Golgi tendon organs) are absent in the extraocular muscles (EOMs) of most mammals, except for even-toed ungulates (e.g. pigs). Instead, most mammals have a structure called palisade endings located at the EOM myotendinous junction. Their localization and similarity with Golgi tendon organs suggest they could be sensory structures providing eye position information. However, palisade endings are cholinergic, and their cell

Dementia, particularly Alzheimer's disease (AD), is a significant health challenge in Europe, characterized by tauopathy and the progressive loss of cholinergic neurons in the basal forebrain. Despite extensive research, effective treatments remain elusive. Utilizing neuroblastoma cells like SH-SY5Y offers a promising avenue to mimic neuronal phenotypes in vitro, aiding in disease mechanism exploration and therapy testing. However, establishing reliable differentiation protocols, especially under serum-free conditions, is imperative.This study aims to refine differentiation protocols and evalu

The neurotransmitter ACh plays a crucial role in the communication between motor neuron and muscle at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ). Synthesis, storage and degradation of ACh are performed by choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE), respectively. Presynaptic activity and nerve-induced muscle contraction regulate ACh release through muscarinic ACh autoreceptors (mAChRs). We previously identified a complex protein network including M1 and M2 mAChRs and multiple kinases that regulate ACh release at the NMJ. The aim of this w