Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF)

This volume discusses the latest techniques and methodologies used in the neurotrophin field to study the physiology of the Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF). The book provides the tools essential to any researcher that intends to explore the peculiar regulation of this neurotrophin from gene expression to its release and the signaling by TrkB receptors, as well as to study the neuronal responses to BDNF or the role of neurotrophin in various neurological diseases. In Neuromethods series style, chapters include the kind of detail and key advice from the specialists needed to get successful results in your laboratory.

Cutting edge and comprehensive, Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor(BDNF) is a valuable resource for researchers who want to further study the diversity of physiological roles of this important growth factor.

Series Preface…

Preface…

Table of Contents…

Contributing Authors…

Part I Introduction

1. Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor and the “Attività plastic dei neuroni”, the Neuronal Plasticity as Defined by Ernesto Lugaro (1870-1940)
Heather Bowling and Moses V. Chao

Part II Transcripts of BDNF

2. Usage of Bacterial Artificial Chromosomes for Studying BDNF Gene Regulation in Primary Cultures of Cortical Neurons and Astrocytes
Kaur Jaanson, Angela Pärn, and Tõnis Timmusk

3. Detecting Single and Multiple BDNF Transcripts In Situ in Neuronal Cultures and Brain Sections
Andrea Colliva, Kristen R. Maynard, Keri Martinowich, and Enrico Tongiorgi

4. Studying BDNF/TrkB Signaling: Transcriptome Analysis from a Limited Number of Purified Adult or Aged Murine Brain Neurons
Chinnavuth Vatanashevanopakorn, Amir Grover, Arup R. Nath, Kevin Clark, Paul Sopp, Claus Nerlov, and Liliana Minichiello

5. Studying BDNF/TrkB Signaling: High-Throughput Microfluidic Gene Expression Analysis from rare of Limited Samples of Adult and Aged Central Neurons
Arup R. Nath, Roy Drissen, Fei Guo, Claus Nerlov, and Liliana Minichiello

Part III Protein Forms of BDNF

6. Detecting BDNF Protein Forms by ELISA, Western Blot, and Immunofluorescence
Stefano Donegà and Enrico Tongiorgi

7. Methodology for Detecting and Tracking brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Complexes in Neurons using Single Quantum Dots
Anke Vermehren-Schmaedick, Thomas Jacob, and Tania Q. Vu

8. Recording Activity-Dependent Release of BDNF from Hippocampal Neurons
Tanja Brigadski, Petra Lichtenecker, and Volkmar Lessmann

Part IV Receptors of BDNF

9. Ultrastructural Localization of BDNF and trkB Receptors
Chiara Salio and Adalberto Merighi

10. Analysis of TrkB Receptor Activity using FRET Sensors
Charles E. hall, James O. McNamara, and Ryohei Yasuda

Part V Signaling Cascades of BDNF

11. BDNF-Induced Intracellular Signaling
João R. Gomes, Andrea Lobo, Carlos B. Duarte, and Mário Grãos

12. A Microfluidic Culture Platform for Neurotrophin Signaling Studies
Rui O. Costa, Tânia Perestrelo, Diogo Tomé, and Ramiro D. Almeida

Part VI BDNF-Induced Protein Synthesis and Synaptic Regulation

13. BDNF-Induced Local Protein Synthesis in Synaptoneurosomes Assessed with Click-iT L-azidohomoalanine
Victor Briz and Michel Baudry

14. Proteomic Tools to Study the Effect of BDNF on de novo Protein Synthesis
Heather Bowling and Eric Klann

15. BDNF Function in Long-Term Synaptic Plasticity in the Dentate Gyrus in Vivo: Methods for Local Drug Delivery and Biochemical Analysis of Translation
Debabrata Panja and Clive Bramham