Growing, competing, strengthening, and pruning (IMAGE)
Caption
In early development, neurons called mitral cells grow multiple branches to connect with multiple glomeruli. Like a bonsai, as development progresses branches get strengthen and pruned. But while researchers investigated closely the mechanism of branch strengthening, how pruning was induced remained under-studied. Kyushu University researchers found that when mitral cells receive the neurotransmitter glutamate, the subsequent signal triggers local suppression of RhoA, protecting that dendrite. At the same time, the depolarization activates the pruning machinery—controlled by RhoA—in dendrites that did not receive the glutamate input. The winner dendrite takes all.
Credit
Kyushu University/Imai Lab
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