| First Author | Matter C | Year | 2009 |
| Journal | Neuron | Volume | 64 |
| Issue | 3 | Pages | 320-7 |
| PubMed ID | 19914181 | Mgi Jnum | J:155761 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:4415654 | Doi | 10.1016/j.neuron.2009.09.026 |
| Citation | Matter C, et al. (2009) Delta-catenin is required for the maintenance of neural structure and function in mature cortex in vivo. Neuron 64(3):320-7 |
| abstractText | Delta-catenin is a brain-specific member of the adherens junction complex that localizes to the postsynaptic and dendritic compartments. This protein is likely critical for normal cognitive function; its hemizygous loss is linked to the severe mental retardation syndrome Cri-du-Chat and it directly interacts with presenilin-1 (PS1), the protein most frequently mutated in familial Alzheimer's disease. Here we examine dendritic structure and cortical function in vivo in mice lacking delta-catenin. We find that in cerebral cortex of 5-week-old mice, dendritic complexity, spine density, and cortical responsiveness are similar between mutant and littermate controls; thereafter, mutant mice experience progressive dendritic retraction, a reduction in spine density and stability, and concomitant reductions in cortical responsiveness. Our results indicate that delta-catenin regulates the maintenance of dendrites and dendritic spines in mature cortex but does not appear to be necessary for the initial establishment of these structures during development. |
