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SUMMARY:Evolving a big brain: developmental evolution of the vertebrate ce
 rebellum - Dr Thomas Butts (University of Liverpool)
DTSTART:20170503T120000Z
DTEND:20170503T130000Z
UID:TALK72432@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Olivia Tidswell
DESCRIPTION:Cerebellar granule cell neurons are the most abundant neuron i
 n the brain\, and an important model for studying the evolution of neurona
 l population size. Allied to the relatively small number of prominent cell
  types\, this makes the cerebellum an important model within which to stud
 y neurogenesis and its evolution in vertebrates. Previous in vitro and kno
 ckout studies have suggested that granule cell progenitor development in t
 he external granule progenitor layer (EGL) of the developing cerebellum is
  regulated by both Notch and BMP signalling\, with Notch being required to
  maintain progenitors in a proliferative state\, and BMP to initiate diffe
 rentiation. To test these specuations in vivo\, we assayed activity of the
  TGF-β and Notch signalling using immunofluorescence and a Tol2 transposa
 se-based reporter assay in the chick embryo. Interestingly\, only a few ce
 lls in the inner external granule layer are seen to be responding to BMP s
 ignalling\, whereas large numbers of granule cells in the inner granule la
 yer are strongly responding to BMP. Notch signalling is prominent in\, but
  not confined to\, the more proliferative external granule layer\, suggest
 ing additional roles for Notch independent of granule progenitors within t
 he developing cerebellum. Crucially\, there appears to be a window of 'sig
 nal-less' initial external granule layer formation that may represent a re
 lic of the events that first evolved in the amniote ancestor and facilitat
 ed the appearance of large\, foliated cerebella.
LOCATION:Part II Lecture Theatre\, Department of Zoology
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