The involvement of Microtubules in Neuronal Polarity and Migration Regulation: Implications for Brain Development and Disease

The main interest of our lab is the process of neuronal migration that occurs during embryonic brain development. In the developing brain neurons are born in one position and have to migrate to their final destination by active cell migration. This is a very dynamic process that is regulated via the concerted action of multiple gene products. In humans this process occurs over the period of several months.
 

Aberrant neuronal migration may result in devastating consequences, such as severe brain malformation, mental retardation, epileptic seizures and early death. We have concentrated on one severe form of brain malformation, known as lissencephaly, which means "smooth brain". Abnormal neuronal migration has been also associated with mental retardation, Schizophrenia and autism. Our studies have demonstrated that regulation of microtubule dynamics through microtubule associated proteins, microtubule dependent motors and tubulin subunits plays a pivot role in regulation of neuronal migration in the developing brain. An overview of previous and ongoing studies will be presented.