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McNair Scholar, 2025
Major: Neuroscience & Behavior
Mentor: Dr. Xuanmao Chen
Research Title: Impacts of Reelin C-Terminal Truncation on Principal Neuron Positioning and Cilia Directionality in the Mouse Cortex
Abstract:
Primary cilia are hair-like organelles that project from the centriole of most mammalian cells. Their membranes possess a variety of receptors that transduce extracellular signals important for embryonic neurodevelopment. However, their roles in the postnatal brain are poorly understood. The Chen lab has recently found that in layered cortical regions of the brain, the primary cilia of pyramidal neurons exhibit a specific orientation toward the pia. Moreover, after migrating from the ventricular zone towards the pia, these neurons undergo repositioning, moving back towards the ventricular zone. Additionally, Reelin, a protein that directs the radial migration of pyramidal neurons in laminated cortical areas, controls the cilia orientation and length of pyramidal neurons in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus CA1. Yet, it is unknown how Reelin regulates this postnatal repositioning and cilia directionality. To address this, I propose to use a mutant mouse strain that expresses Reelin with a truncated C-terminal region. I will examine the effects of Reelin C-terminal region truncation on the postnatal neuronal repositioning and orientation of primary cilia. This research could provide insight into the regulatory mechanisms of neuronal positioning by Reelin and the interaction between Reelin and neuronal primary cilia.
