Visual Experience-Dependent Expression of Fn14 Is Required for Retinogeniculate Refinement

Neuron
Lucas CheadleMichael E Greenberg

Abstract

Sensory experience influences the establishment of neural connectivity through molecular mechanisms that remain unclear. Here, we employ single-nucleus RNA sequencing to investigate the contribution of sensory-driven gene expression to synaptic refinement in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus of the thalamus, a region of the brain that processes visual information. We find that visual experience induces the expression of the cytokine receptor Fn14 in excitatory thalamocortical neurons. By combining electrophysiological and structural techniques, we show that Fn14 is dispensable for early phases of refinement mediated by spontaneous activity but that Fn14 is essential for refinement during a later, experience-dependent period of development. Refinement deficits in mice lacking Fn14 are associated with functionally weaker and structurally smaller retinogeniculate inputs, indicating that Fn14 mediates both functional and anatomical rearrangements in response to sensory experience. These findings identify Fn14 as a molecular link between sensory-driven gene expression and vision-sensitive refinement in the brain.

Citations

May 28, 2019·Clinical and Experimental Immunology·F C Bennett, A V Molofsky
Sep 17, 2020·Annual Review of Vision Science·Liang Liang, Chinfei Chen
Aug 3, 2019·F1000Research·Masanobu Kano, Takaki Watanabe
May 13, 2020·Annual Review of Vision Science·Carol Mason, Nefeli Slavi
Feb 3, 2021·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Dávid NagyLinda C Burkly
Sep 21, 2021·Reviews in Endocrine & Metabolic Disorders·Wiktoria RatajczakCatriona Kelly

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Brain developing: Influences & Outcomes

This feed focuses on influences that affect the developing brain including genetics, fetal development, prenatal care, and gene-environment interactions. Here is the latest research in this field.