Neuronal polarity and Turing instability

SILVIA A. MENCHÓN

Seminario; SNN Seminars; 2012

SNN Adaptive Intelligence - Radboud University Nijmegen

Polarization refers to asymmetric changes in cellular organization in response to external or internal signals. Neuronal polarization begins with the growth of a single neurite shortly after cell division, followed by the growth of a second neurite at the opposite pole. However, it is not known if a direct relationship exists between the formation of the second, opposite, neurite and the mechanisms involved in the formation of the first. In this work we propose a mathematical model based on membrane traffic (exocytosis-endocytosis), and lateral diffusion. The system exhibits Turing instability that lead to spatial pattern formation. We study spontaneous symmetry breaking and how patterns are af ected by membrane growth. To experimentally validate predictions of our model we compare results of our simulations with intensity distributions of sec8 on cell surfaces.