Requirement of Baboon/dsmad2-Mediated Tgf-Beta/activin Signaling for Post-Mitotic Neuronal Development in the Drosophila Brain
Zheng, Xiaoyan
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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/86304
Description
Title
Requirement of Baboon/dsmad2-Mediated Tgf-Beta/activin Signaling for Post-Mitotic Neuronal Development in the Drosophila Brain
Author(s)
Zheng, Xiaoyan
Issue Date
2005
Doctoral Committee Chair(s)
Tzumin Lee
Department of Study
Cell and Developmental Biology
Discipline
Cell and Developmental Biology
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
Biology, Genetics
Language
eng
Abstract
The intermingling of larval functional neurons with adult-specific neurons during metamorphosis contributes to the development of the Drosophila adult brain. This study provides evidence for cell-autonomous involvement of widespread Baboon/dSmad2-mediated TGF-beta/Activin signaling in various neuronal developmental processes prior to the prepupal ecdysone peak. Interestingly, this stage-specific Babo/dSmad2 signaling appears to accelerate maturation and morphogenesis of post-mitotic neurons throughout the entire nervous system. Loss of Babo/dSmad2 drastically delays adult-specific neurons' initial morphogenesis, while Babo/dSmad2 acts to assure timely expression of EcR-B1 in larval functional neurons. This study, thus, suggests that TGF-beta signaling prior to metamorphosis may be widely required to prepare neurons for the rapidly changing environment present during metamorphosis. Given that many vertebrate TGF-beta signaling molecules are dynamically present in the postnatal brain, it is possible that similar mechanisms may help modulate neural circuitry in higher organisms during periods of extensive morphogenesis.
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