A critical step in neuronal development is the formation of axon/dendrite polarity, a process involving symmetry breaking in the newborn neuron. Local self-amplifying processes could enhance and stabilize the initial asymmetry in the distribution of axon/dendrite determinants, but the identity of these processes remains elusive. We here report that BDNF, a secreted neurotrophin essential for th...

It is important to understand the neural dendrite formation at molecular level. Unfortunately, the regulation mechanisms underlying neural dendrite formation remain unclear. In our previous work, it is found that dentritic cell factors (DCF1) express differentially between undifferentiated and differentiated neural stem cells (NSCs). In this study, we compared whole-genome gene expression data ...

How does a dendrite grow? The answer to that question is central to understanding development of neurons, and thus to understanding entire nervous systems. But while the molecular signals underlying axon development have been relatively well described, comparatively little is known about the mechanisms of dendrite development, especially at its earliest stages. In this issue of PLoS Biology, Le...

The neuronal Golgi apparatus (GA) localizes to the perinuclear region and dendrites as tubulo-vesicular structures designated Golgi outposts (GOPs). Current evidence suggests that GOPs shape dendrite morphology and serve as platforms for the local delivery of synaptic receptors. However, the mechanisms underlying GOP formation remain a mystery. Using live-cell imaging and confocal microscopy in...

The transmembrane protein Vangl2, a key regulator of the Wnt/planar cell polarity (PCP) pathway, is involved in dendrite arbor elaboration, dendritic spine formation and glutamatergic synapse formation in mammalian central nervous system neurons. Cultured forebrain neurons from Vangl2 knockout mice have simpler dendrite arbors, fewer total spines, less mature spines and fewer glutamatergic syna...

Dendrite formation is a critical issue in uranium recovery from spent nuclear fuel (SNF) through molten-salt electrorefining process. To understand and modulate dendritic formation, we developed computation model that involves all the complexities mechano-electrochemical process, such as diffusion–reaction kinetics, interfacial anisotropy variations of electric stress fields. In particular, lat...

Thyroid hormone 3,3',5-Triiodo-L-thyronine (T3) is essential for proper brain development. Perinatal loss of T3 causes severe growth defects in neurons and glia, including strong inhibition of dendrite formation in Purkinje cells in the cerebellar cortex. Here we show that T3 promotes dendritic outgrowth of Purkinje cells through induction of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PP...