Mouse Brain Development
Mouse Brain Development - Related Videos
08:38
Analysis of Translation in the Developing Mouse Brain using Polysome Profiling
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Cited by 5 •
2021
The development of the mammalian brain requires proper control of gene expression at the level of translation. Here, we describe a polysome profiling system with an easy-to-assemble sucrose gradient-making and fractionation platform to assess the translational status of mRNAs in the developing brain.
09:04
Development and Reproduction of the Laboratory Mouse
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2023
Successful breeding of the laboratory mouse (Mus musculus) is critical to the establishment and maintenance of a productive animal colony. Additionally, mouse embryos are frequently studied to answer questions about developmental processes. A wide variety of genetic tools now exist for regulating gene expression during mouse embryonic and postnatal development, which can help scientists to understand more about heritable diseases affecting human development. This video provides an introduction...
08:39
Ex vivo Culturing of Whole, Developing Drosophila Brains
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Cited by 16 •
2012
This article describes a method by which one can mimic in vivo development of the Drosophila mushroom body in an ex vivo culture system.
07:42
Mosaic Analysis of Gene Function in Postnatal Mouse Brain Development by Using Virus-based Cre Recombination
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Cited by 10 •
2011
An in vivo method to test gene function in postnatal brain is described. Recombinant AAVs expressing Cre and/or a fluorescent protein are injected into neonatal mouse brain. Mosaic gene inactivation and sparse neuronal labeling are achieved, allowing rapid analysis of gene function in processes critical to neural circuit development.
13:31
Single Cell Electroporation in vivo within the Intact Developing Brain
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Cited by 26 •
2008
Single-cell electroporation (SCE) is a specialized technique allowing delivery of DNA or other macromolecules into individual cells within intact tissue, including in vivo preparations. Here we detail the procedure for SCE of a fluorescent dye or plasmid DNA into neurons within the intact brain of the Xenopus laevis tadpole.
FAQs
Neural stem and progenitor cells first expand through proliferation, then generate differentiated neurons and glia. This changing balance between producing more precursor cells and creating specialized cell types supports the increasing cellular complexity of the developing brain. Studying these transitions helps neuroscientists determine how altered cell production may affect later circuit formation and contribute to developmental disease.
Newly generated neural cells must reach specific brain regions rather than remain where they originated. Migration therefore links cell production with anatomical organization, placing neurons and glia in locations where they can participate in appropriate circuits. Developmental studies examine this positioning process because disrupted migration can alter circuit assembly even when neural cells are generated.
Axon growth establishes pathways between developing neural cells, while synapse formation creates points of communication within those pathways. Subsequent refinement adjusts the emerging connectivity as functional circuits mature. Considering these processes together allows researchers to relate early structural changes to the eventual organization of brain circuits, rather than treating connectivity as a single developmental event.
Researchers compare embryonic and postnatal stages because different developmental events occur across this timeline. Neural cell proliferation, differentiation, and migration are examined alongside axon growth, synapse formation, and circuit refinement. Organizing observations by developmental stage helps investigators connect cellular events with the progressive establishment of functional brain circuits.
A typical investigation can combine a mouse developmental timeline with genetic tools, imaging, and molecular analyses. Timelines establish when events occur, imaging reveals cellular positioning or developing connectivity, and molecular analyses examine underlying cellular features. Using these approaches together provides complementary evidence about how neural cells and circuits change across development.
Mouse brain development provides a tractable mammalian system for examining how neural circuits are assembled. Researchers can use it to investigate developmental disruptions linked to disease, study the cellular basis of learning and behavior, and connect developmental stages with circuit organization. These applications extend beyond describing anatomy by relating cellular processes to functional neuroscience questions.