Neuritin: a gene induced by neural activity and neurotrophins that promotes neuritogenesis.

Naeve, G S; Ramakrishnan, M; Kramer, R; Hevroni, D; Citri, Y; Theill, L E · Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A · 1997

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

Neural activity and neurotrophins induce synaptic remodeling in part by altering gene expression. A cDNA encoding a glycosylphoshatidylinositol-anchored protein was identified by screening for hippocampal genes that are induced by neural activity. This molecule, named neuritin, is expressed in postmitotic-differentiating neurons of the developing nervous system and neuronal structures associated with plasticity in the adult. Neuritin message is induced by neuronal activity and by the activity-regulated neurotrophins BDNF and NT-3. Purified recombinant neuritin promotes neurite outgrowth and arborization in primary embryonic hippocampal and cortical cultures. These data implicate neuritin as a downstream effector of activity-induced neurite outgrowth.

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