Please join us for the Center for Neuroregeneration Lecture Series: Mechanisms of Astrocyte-neuron Interactions During Synapse Development with Isabella Farhy-Tselnicker, PhD, Texas A&M University.

Astrocytes, a major class of non-neuronal brain cells, play crucial roles in synapse development and function. An important aspect of normal glutamatergic synapse development is maintaining a balance between active (AMPA receptor containing) and silent (AMPA receptor lacking) synapses, whereupon silent synapses are converted to active, or eliminated. Aberrant silent synapse development has been implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders and drug addiction, while decreased synapse number and activity is prevalent in aging and neurodegeneration. Astrocytes produce factors that modulate both active and silent synapse formation, yet how these different factors act together to generate the correct synapse number and type is not well understood. Our previous work identified neuronal LAR family receptor protein tyrosine phosphatases (LAR-RPTPs) as necessary for active and silent synapse formation mediated by astrocyte-secreted proteins glypican 4 (Gpc4) and thrombospondin 1 (TSP1) respectively. In this presentation, she will discuss research that has identified neuronal candidates that mediate these astrocytic signals downstream of LAR-RPTPs-Gpc4 and TSP1 interactions, and how changes in active and silent synapse balance impact the development of escape behaviors.

When: October 3, 2023, from 9-10:30 AM (CDT)
Where: Walter Tower Colombia Room

Contact Dee Lofton, dloftin@houstonmethodist.org, for more information.

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