Molecular Mechanisms of Ageing

To Dr. Shimada

Thank you very much, Dr. Shimada, for your nice presentation of the modulation of spine morphology by TrkB signaling in co-cultured Purkinje and granule cells from murine cerebellum. I have a few questions. Could you tell me about the followings?
1) How inhibited was the neurotrophin activity by adding the TrkB-IgG fusion protein in your culture system? Does the fusion protein work as a competitive inhibitor? If so, what degree is the activity blocked to? Is there any change in the tyrosine phosphorylation?
2) Could you tell me about the results using NGF or NT-3 (or NT-4 if you have data) as neurotrophins?
3) What would you think about the significance of "filopdia-like spines" in your culture system? You mentioned that 45% of all dendritic protrusions looked like filopodia. Do they function as mature synapses?
Thank you.

Tue Dec 15