Developmental Neuroscience - Neuroscience (U01070)

? Credit Points : 10 ? SCQF Level : 10 ? Acronym : MED-4-NSdev

WEEK 1

1. Lecture - Embryological Origin of the Nervous System
The formation of the ectodermal, layer of vertebrate embryos will be described followed by an outline of the process of neurulation.

2. Lecture - Wnt Signalling in CNS Development
The Wnt pathway will be described and its function in the CNS development highlighted.

3. Lecture - Molecular Control of Process Outgrowth in the Developing Nervous System
The external and internal influences that regulate process outgrowth in the developing nervous system.

WEEK 2

4. Lecture - Origin of Glia and the relationship between Glial Development and Axon Survival
Astrocytes and oligodendrocytes in the CNS are not merely passive support players in CNS function and their origins and roles will be reviewed.

5. Lecture - Early Development of the Forebrain
Our current understanding of how the daunting complexity of the mature forebrain emerges during embryogenesis requires a knowledge of the actions of key regulatory genes.

6. Seminar - The Role of Glutamate Neurotransmission in Somatosensory Cortex Development

WEEK 3

7. Lecture - Stem Cells in the Adult CNS
It is now widely accepted that at least two populations of stem cells are present in the brains of adult rodents and primates.

8. Lecture - Invertebrate Neurogenesis

9. Seminar - Calcium Signalling and its impact on Neuronal Fate and Function (Hardingham)

WEEK 4

10. Lecture - Synaptic Function at the Neuromuscular Junction
New, transgenic approaches to how individual skeletal muscle fibres become polyneuronally innervated at their motor endplates, by synaptic terminals derived from different motoneurones are yielding important insights.

11. Lecture - The Role of Rho GTPases in regulating Neurite Outgrowth
Rac, Cdc42 and Rho, members of the Rho family of small GTPases, are crucial regulators of cytoskeletal restructuring in neurons.

etc ........

Entry Requirements

? This course is not available to visting students.

? Pre-requisites : Permission of the Curriculum Approval Officer. Normally Developmental Neuroscience 3.

? Special Arrangements for Entry : Directors of Studies must contact the Programme Secretary or Programme Organiser for Honours Neuroscience before registering a student for this course. Priority is given to Honours Neuroscience students.