Mechanisms underlying intranuclear rod formation

Mechanisms Underlying Auditory Image Formation in Music

Mechanisms underlying sequence-independent beta-sheet formation

We investigate the formation of β-sheet structures in proteins without sequence-dependent side-chain interactions. To accomplish this, we introduce a model which explicitly incorporates both solvation effects and the angular dependence (on the protein backbone) of hydrogen bond formation. The thermodynamics of this model is studied by exploring the density of states for the entire system and th...

Cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying presynapse formation

Synapse formation is a highly regulated process that requires the coordination of many cell biological events. Decades of research have identified a long list of molecular components involved in assembling a functioning synapse. Yet how the various steps, from transporting synaptic components to adhering synaptic partners and assembling the synaptic structure, are regulated and precisely execut...

Circuit Mechanisms Underlying Motor Memory Formation in the Cerebellum

The cerebellum stores associative motor memories essential for properly timed movement; however, the mechanisms by which these memories form and are acted upon remain unclear. To determine how cerebellar activity relates to movement and motor learning, we used optogenetics to manipulate spontaneously firing Purkinje neurons (PNs) in mouse simplex lobe. Using high-speed videography and motion tr...

Cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying axon formation, growth, and branching

Proper brain wiring during development is pivotal for adult brain function. Neurons display a high degree of polarization both morphologically and functionally, and this polarization requires the segregation of mRNA, proteins, and lipids into the axonal or somatodendritic domains. Recent discoveries have provided insight into many aspects of the cell biology of axonal development including axon...