DAPK activates MARK1/2 to regulate microtubule assembly, neuronal differentiation, and tau toxicity

VEGF activates divergent intracellular signaling components to regulate retinal progenitor cell proliferation and neuronal differentiation.

During vertebrate neurogenesis, multiple extracellular signals influence progenitor cell fate choices. The process by which uncommitted progenitor cells interpret and integrate signals is not well understood. We demonstrate here that in the avascular chicken retina, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) secreted by postmitotic neurons acts through the FLK1 receptor present on progenitor cel...

Important neuronal toxicity of microtubule-bound Tau in vivo in Drosophila.

The microtubule-associated protein Tau is found in large amount in axons of neurons and is involved in human neurodegenerative diseases called tauopathies, which include Alzheimer's disease. In these diseases, the Tau protein is abnormally hyperphosphorylated and one therapeutic strategy currently under consideration consists in inhibiting Tau phosphorylation. However, the consequences of an ex...

Physical and chemical properties of purified tau factor and the role of tau in microtubule assembly.

Tllis paper describes the physical and chemical properties of purified tau, a prot,ein which is associated with brain microtubulrs and which induces assembly of microtubules from tubulin. Purified tau is composed of four polypeptides which migrate at positions equivalent to molecular weight’s between 55,000 and 62,000 during electrophoresis on sodium dodecyl sulfate/polyacrylamide gels. These p...

CLIPs regulate neuronal polarization through microtubule and growth cone dynamics

Phosphorylation differentiates tau-dependent neuronal toxicity and dysfunction.

The heterogeneous pathology of tauopathies and the differential susceptibility of different neuronal types to WT (wild-type) and mutant tau suggest that phosphorylation at particular sites rather than hyperphosphorylation mediates toxicity or dysfunction in a cell-type-specific manner. Pan-neuronal accumulation of tau in the Drosophila CNS (central nervous system) specifically affected the MBs ...