Topic: Integrin receptors

Dendritic branching mechanisms are precisely controlled during brain development, as dendritic architecture provides the specificity and capacity of the synaptic input. Integrin receptors on the neuronal membrane are critical regulators of when and where the dendritic arborization will take place during neuronal differentiation. Integrin activity is not solely dictated by external ligand binding – the receptor's shape and function are also fine-tuned by intracellular binding proteins, including actin-binding protein Filamin A (FlnA). By combining in vitro mouse neuronal cultures with genetic a

Nuclear Dbf2-related protein (Ndr2) is a serine/threonine kinase in the subgroup of the AGC family kinases and a core member of the Hippo signaling. Ndr2 plays a key role in the differentiation and maturation of neurons, regulating dendritic and axonal growth through integrin receptors. Further work from our lab has demonstrated that the deletion of Ndr2 kinase can improve spatial memory in old mice (see presentation by Miguel del Angel). Moreover, analysis of the hippocampal proteome revealed a differential expression of GAP43 protein in aged Ndr2 KO mice compared to wild type (WT) mice. Whil