Cytoskeletal Membrane Dynamics - Mark A. McNiven

Neuronal Research Focus

A moving neuron

Neurite-synapse morphogenisis

Neuronal tissue is known to express all 3 conventional dynamin genes as well as numerous spliced variant forms. Remarkably, mammalian brain is likely to express more than 30 different dynamin forms that appear to reside at distinct neuronal organelles and compartments. For example we have found that the neuronal specific dynamin (Dyn1) is located predominantly at the presynapse while Dyn3 appears post-synaptic and interacts with a distinct set of cytoskeletal and scaffolding proteins.

We have applied our extensive array of immunological and molecular reagents to the hippocampal cell culture system to define the role of the different dynamins in growth cone migration, synaptic transmission, and morphogenesis of the post-synapse.