Topic: retinal development

Viral infection-induced inflammation during pregnancy has been associated to malformations of the fetal brain. Microglia, the brain-resident macrophages, respond to inflammatory signals and at the same time are actively involved in various aspects of brain development. We know surprisingly little about how microglia balance the different demands during human embryonic development and which functional consequences an inflammatory environment has on neuronal organization and connectivity. Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) provide a unique opportunity to investigate this relationship.H

Dopamine-dependent cyclic AMP accumulation occurs via activation of D1-like receptors since early development of the chicken retina. Cyclic AMP is an ubiquitous second messenger that regulates several physiological processes including neuronal survival and differentiation. The mTOR pathway is a crucial pathway linking cellular metabolism to protein synthesis. The mTORC1 and 2 signaling complexes are composed of mTOR and distinct proteins, and while mTORC1 is regulated by AKT, mTORC2 is upstream of this enzyme and regulates phosphorylation of its serine 473 residue. Ribosomal protein S6 (RpS6)

The retina processes and transmits visual signals throughout a defined neuronal circuit to retinal ganglion cells, which project to the visual centers of the brain. Microglia have been shown to fine-tune the neuronal circuitry by pruning functionally weak synapses during brain development. However, we do not know whether microglia have a similar impact on the neuronal circuit of the retina.In mice, microglia invade the developing retina as early as embryonic age (E) 11.5, where they reside in in the emerging outer- (OPL) and inner plexiform layer (IPL) throughout adulthood. Here, we investigat

Tau, a microtubule-associated protein pivotal for neuronal integrity, is actively involved in retinal development, regulating growth, differentiation, and maturation processes. Mutations in tau can lead to misfolded protein and fibrils formation, disrupting cellular processes and damaging retinal tissue. Previous studies have identified pathological hallmarks of tauopathies, such as Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD), in the retina of patients even in the early stage of pathology. However, the precise molecular mechanisms and the direct sequence of events underlying this process remain poorly under