Skip to main content
Figure 2 | Neural Development

Figure 2

From: Neuroligin1: a cell adhesion molecule that recruits PSD-95 and NMDA receptors by distinct mechanisms during synaptogenesis

Figure 2

Nlg1 accumulated at, and was transported to, sites of axodendritic contact. (A) Formation of a contact between 5 d.i.v. neurons transfected with GFP-Nlg1 (green) and mCherry (red). Time 0:00 is defined as the first time of stabilized contact between the dendrite and axonal growth cone. Nlg1 accumulated at this site of contact within 3 minutes. Higher magnification images of the region of contact (white box) are shown to the right and with fluorescent intensity plots for both the dendritic (green) and axonal (red) region. (B) Fluorescence intensity (F) changes in arbitrary units (a.u.), for examples of rapid (left) and slower accumulation of Nlg1 (right) following contact. Black traces are taken from a dendritic segment contacted by axonal growth cones and grey traces are taken from a control dendritic segment, away from the site of contact. The gray line at time 0 represents the time of contact. Blank portions of the right trace are measurements that have been deleted due to focal drift. (C) Continuation of imaging of the GFP-Nlg1 transfected neuron shown in (A). Extension of a filopodium from the main dendritic branch at the site of the initial Nlg1 accumulation occurred 30 minutes following contact between the growth cone and the dendrite. Accumulation of Nlg1 in the dendrite at the site of contact (black arrowhead) clustered in the filopodial tip, which extended out over the axonal growth cone (axon shown as a dotted outline). A Nlg1 cluster remained at the tip of the filopodium during extension (open arrowhead). (D) Images of neighboring neurons transfected with GFP-Nlg1 (green) and mCherry (red). At time point 0:00 the axonal growth cone had already made contact with the dendrite. A cluster of Nlg1 (white arrowhead) moved to that pre-formed contact and remained stable. A stationary cluster of Nlg1, present at a second pre-existing contact site (top of image), also remained stable for the duration of imaging. Time is in minutes and seconds and the scale bars are 5 μm in all images.

Back to article page