Neuroscience Module 3  -  2005

Learning Objectives  for Developmental Neuroscience

Josh Corbin

1.       Understand how extrinsic (morphogens) and intrinsic (transcription) factors regulate neural patterning and the parcellation of the neural tube into distinct compartments.

2.       Understand the concept of organizers and boundaries in the nervous system and how they are generated during embryogenesis (with a focus on the mid/hindbrain boundary)

3.       Understand how distinct neuronal subtypes are specified (neurons and glia) from progenitor/stem cells and where these cells are specified (focus on spinal cord and telencephalon).

4.       Understand cell migration and its role in the generation of regional cellular heterogeneity in the telencephalon (part of this will be an understanding of cortical development). 

Baoji Xu

1. What types of cell death occur in the nervous system?
   
2. Why is cell death important for the development of the nervous system?
   
3. What is known about the biochemical pathway of apoptosis?
   
4. What are neurotrophic factors?
   
5. How does a neurotrophic factor coordinate the number of neurons and the size of their target size during development?
   
6. How does a neurotrophic factor promote neuronal survival?
   
7. What is neurotrophin retrograde signaling?  How does it work?
   
8. What are the other functions of neurotrophic factors in the nervous system?
   

Larry Kromer

1.       List factors during normal development that influence the formation of connections between neurons.  Which are thought to contribute to axonal guidance versus the specificity of synaptic connections in the nervous system?

2.       Describe how axon fasciculation, contact inhibition, chemoattraction, and chemorepulsion regulate axonal growth.  Describe the role that cell adhesion molecules play in regulating neurite outgrowth.  Indicate what intracellular signaling cascades are associated with these processes. 

3.       List known axonal guidance molecules and explain their functions during development.  Be able to describe experimental studies that have help define the roles of ephrins, netrins and semaphorins in the development of topographic connections within the nervous system.

4.       Describe how neuronal activity affects the development of topographically organized synaptic connections.  Explain what role synapse elimination plays in this process.

5.       Explain what is meant by the term “critical period” during neural development.

6.       List factors that influence synapse formation and synaptic plasticity.  Describe how dendritic spines participate in this process.

7.       Describe the evidence supporting the ability of neurons to regenerate axons in the adult CNS?

8.       Discuss possible cellular and molecular mechanisms that contribute to aborted axonal regeneration in the mature mammalian CNS.  Describe how chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans participate in this process.

9.       Discuss what molecules in CNS myelin may be inhibitory to axonal regeneration.

10.     Describe what experimental treatments you would develop in order to promote axonal regeneration following spinal cord injury.