Biomaterial Database

Immediate-early genes, neuronal plasticity, and memory. 1992

H A Robertson

Department of Pharmacology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, N.S., Canada.

The demonstration that the immediate-early gene c-fos is rapidly and transiently expressed in brain following a variety of manipulations has led to intense study of these genes to determine what physiological role they play. The very wide range of stimuli which lead to induction of immediate-early genes (IEGs) in the brain has raised concerns for the specificity of their actions and the suggestion that they might merely be involved in housekeeping functions. On the other hand, there is evidence that these genes may play a role in the transmission of information from cell surface receptors to the genetic material in many instances of neuronal plasticity, including development of seizure susceptibility (kindling), long-term potentiation, drug-induced changes, the phase shift in circadian rhythms, and spreading neuronal depression. In addition to being a putative third (or fourth) messenger involved in transduction of signals to the genetic material, activation of IEGs has proven to be a useful tool for the study of transsynaptic activation of certain neuronal pathways in the brain. Thus, studies on the induction of IEGs are proving to be especially useful in understanding some important functions and properties of the mammalian brain.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008568	Memory	Complex mental function having four distinct phases: (1) memorizing or learning, (2) retention, (3) recall, and (4) recognition. Clinically, it is usually subdivided into immediate, recent, and remote memory.
D009473	Neuronal Plasticity	The capacity of the NERVOUS SYSTEM to change its reactivity as the result of successive activations.	Brain Plasticity,Plasticity, Neuronal,Axon Pruning,Axonal Pruning,Dendrite Arborization,Dendrite Pruning,Dendritic Arborization,Dendritic Pruning,Dendritic Remodeling,Neural Plasticity,Neurite Pruning,Neuronal Arborization,Neuronal Network Remodeling,Neuronal Pruning,Neuronal Remodeling,Neuroplasticity,Synaptic Plasticity,Synaptic Pruning,Arborization, Dendrite,Arborization, Dendritic,Arborization, Neuronal,Arborizations, Dendrite,Arborizations, Dendritic,Arborizations, Neuronal,Axon Prunings,Axonal Prunings,Brain Plasticities,Dendrite Arborizations,Dendrite Prunings,Dendritic Arborizations,Dendritic Prunings,Dendritic Remodelings,Network Remodeling, Neuronal,Network Remodelings, Neuronal,Neural Plasticities,Neurite Prunings,Neuronal Arborizations,Neuronal Network Remodelings,Neuronal Plasticities,Neuronal Prunings,Neuronal Remodelings,Neuroplasticities,Plasticities, Brain,Plasticities, Neural,Plasticities, Neuronal,Plasticities, Synaptic,Plasticity, Brain,Plasticity, Neural,Plasticity, Synaptic,Pruning, Axon,Pruning, Axonal,Pruning, Dendrite,Pruning, Dendritic,Pruning, Neurite,Pruning, Neuronal,Pruning, Synaptic,Prunings, Axon,Prunings, Axonal,Prunings, Dendrite,Prunings, Dendritic,Prunings, Neurite,Prunings, Neuronal,Prunings, Synaptic,Remodeling, Dendritic,Remodeling, Neuronal,Remodeling, Neuronal Network,Remodelings, Dendritic,Remodelings, Neuronal,Remodelings, Neuronal Network,Synaptic Plasticities,Synaptic Prunings
D001921	Brain	The part of CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM that is contained within the skull (CRANIUM). Arising from the NEURAL TUBE, the embryonic brain is comprised of three major parts including PROSENCEPHALON (the forebrain); MESENCEPHALON (the midbrain); and RHOMBENCEPHALON (the hindbrain). The developed brain consists of CEREBRUM; CEREBELLUM; and other structures in the BRAIN STEM.	Encephalon
D001931	Brain Mapping	Imaging techniques used to colocalize sites of brain functions or physiological activity with brain structures.	Brain Electrical Activity Mapping,Functional Cerebral Localization,Topographic Brain Mapping,Brain Mapping, Topographic,Functional Cerebral Localizations,Mapping, Brain,Mapping, Topographic Brain
D005786	Gene Expression Regulation	Any of the processes by which nuclear, cytoplasmic, or intercellular factors influence the differential control (induction or repression) of gene action at the level of transcription or translation.	Gene Action Regulation,Regulation of Gene Expression,Expression Regulation, Gene,Regulation, Gene Action,Regulation, Gene Expression
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D015345	Oligonucleotide Probes	Synthetic or natural oligonucleotides used in hybridization studies in order to identify and study specific nucleic acid fragments, e.g., DNA segments near or within a specific gene locus or gene. The probe hybridizes with a specific mRNA, if present. Conventional techniques used for testing for the hybridization product include dot blot assays, Southern blot assays, and DNA:RNA hybrid-specific antibody tests. Conventional labels for the probe include the radioisotope labels 32P and 125I and the chemical label biotin.	Oligodeoxyribonucleotide Probes,Oligonucleotide Probe,Oligoribonucleotide Probes,Probe, Oligonucleotide,Probes, Oligodeoxyribonucleotide,Probes, Oligonucleotide,Probes, Oligoribonucleotide
D016375	Antisense Elements (Genetics)	Nucleic acids which hybridize to complementary sequences in other target nucleic acids causing the function of the latter to be affected.	Antisense Probes,Anti-Sense Elements,Anti-Sense Probes,Anti Sense Elements,Anti Sense Probes,Elements, Anti-Sense,Probes, Anti-Sense,Probes, Antisense
D016762	Genes, fos	Retrovirus-associated DNA sequences (fos) originally isolated from the Finkel-Biskis-Jinkins (FBJ-MSV) and Finkel-Biskis-Reilly (FBR-MSV) murine sarcoma viruses. The proto-oncogene protein c-fos codes for a nuclear protein which is involved in growth-related transcriptional control. The insertion of c-fos into FBJ-MSV or FBR-MSV induces osteogenic sarcomas in mice. The human c-fos gene is located at 14q21-31 on the long arm of chromosome 14.	c-fos Genes,fos Genes,v-fos Genes,c-fos Proto-Oncogenes,v-fos Oncogenes,c fos Genes,c fos Proto Oncogenes,c-fos Gene,c-fos Proto-Oncogene,fos Gene,v fos Genes,v fos Oncogenes,v-fos Gene,v-fos Oncogene