.

Has anyone done any research in the realm of neurogenesis and possibly the chemoattractant involved?

chemoattractants for what, migration?

Yep.

Laminins?


Beta1 integrins control the formation of cell chains in the adult rostral migratory stream.
J Neurosci. 2007 Mar 7;27(10):2704-17.


* Belvindrah R,
* Hankel S,
* Walker J,
* Patton BL,
* Muller U.

The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Cell Biology, Institute for Childhood and Neglected Disease, La Jolla, California 92037, USA.

The subventricular zone (SVZ) of the lateral ventricle is the major site of neurogenesis in the adult brain. Neuroblasts that are born in the SVZ migrate as chains along the rostral migratory stream (RMS) to the olfactory bulb. Little is known about the mechanisms that control interactions between neuroblasts during their migration. Here we show that migrating neuroblasts express beta1 integrins and that the integrin ligand laminin is localized to cell chains. Using genetically modified mice and time-lapse video recordings of SVZ explants, we demonstrate that beta1 integrins and laminin promote the formation of cell chains. Laminin also induces the aggregation of purified neuroblasts. We conclude that the formation of cell chains in the RMS is controlled in part by beta1 integrins via binding to laminin. In addition, we provide evidence that beta1 class integrins are required for the maintenance of the glial tubes and that defects in the glial tubes lead to the ectopic migration of neuroblasts into the surrounding tissue.

Neural regeneration protein is a novel chemoattractive and neuronal survival-promoting factor.
Exp Cell Res. 2006 Oct 1;312(16):3060-74.


* Gorba T,
* Bradoo P,
* Antonic A,
* Marvin K,
* Liu DX,
* Lobie PE,
* Reymann KG,
* Gluckman PD,
* Sieg F.

Neuren Pharmaceuticals Ltd., PO Box 9923, Newmarket, Auckland 1031, New Zealand.

Neurogenesis and neuronal migration are the prerequisites for the development of the central nervous system. We have identified a novel rodent gene encoding for a neural regeneration protein (NRP) with an activity spectrum similar to the chemokine stromal-derived factor (SDF)-1, but with much greater potency. The Nrp gene is encoded as a forward frameshift to the hypothetical alkylated DNA repair protein AlkB. The predicted protein sequence of NRP contains domains with homology to survival-promoting peptide (SPP) and the trefoil protein TFF-1. The Nrp gene is first expressed in neural stem cells and expression continues in glial lineages. Recombinant NRP and NRP-derived peptides possess biological activities including induction of neural migration and proliferation, promotion of neuronal survival, enhancement of neurite outgrowth and promotion of neuronal differentiation from neural stem cells. NRP exerts its effect on neuronal survival by phosphorylation of the ERK1/2 and Akt kinases, whereas NRP stimulation of neural migration depends solely on p44/42 MAP kinase activity. Taken together, the expression profile of Nrp, the existence in its predicted protein structure of domains with similarities to known neuroprotective and migration-inducing factors and the high potency of NRP-derived synthetic peptides acting in femtomolar concentrations suggest it to be a novel gene of relevance in cellular and developmental neurobiology.

I'll have to check out that article. I am interested more in the hippocampal neurogen. rather than migration towards the olfactory bulb. But, they might have migration "techniques" in common.

I am asking because I am trying to figure out how I should go about doing research. I want to do research with neurogenesis, and currently I have planned out testing mice in the Morris Water Maze, and highlight proliferated neurons with BrdU.

I have done quite a bit of research on the topic (and a research proposal), so I am familiar with the process, but they did not mention the chemoattract involved. In fact, in adult neurogenesis, I don't even know if they know the chemoattract. That would have significant impacts on a wide array dealing with neuronal death and replenishing these neurons.

Interesting. Thanks. I'll check out other articles, too.

it might be worth looking into neurochemical gradients along the neural migratory pathways, using standard histochemical and immunocytochemical techniques, that could potentially be chemoattractive.

Good suggestion. I'll have to look into it when I have the time, and also look into how to go about doing it. If you run across any articles that A] describe the process or B] are relevant to the matter, shoot them over my way.

Thanks.

This is great information. Thanks.