CONICET PhD fellow
Director: Santiago Quiroga
E-Mail: mperotti@fcq.unc.edu.ar
PhD Thesis Topic
Role of KIF5C on neuronal polarization and neocortical formation
The polarized insertion of IGF-1 receptors in the plasmalemma is a key step for neuronal polarization. We have shown that the silencing of the molecular motor KIF5C expression avoids the polarized insertion of this receptor, hampering neuronal polarization. The SNAREs proteins Syntaxin 6 and VAMP4 are associated with vesicles transported by KIF5C and are necessary for the polarized insertion of the receptor. The enrichment of stable microtubules in the growing axon is linked to KIF5C to mediate the vesicular transport of Sintaxin 6 and VAMP4, regulating, in turn, the polarized insertion of IGF-1 receptors. These results promote studying the possible participation of KIF5C in neocortical training. Employing in-uterus electroporation we will explore the role of wild-type KIF5C and point mutants associated with neocortical development problems in the early migration of cortical neurons and neocortical formation.