Chromatin Changes Accompanying Neuronal Differentiation
This extract was created in the absence of an abstract.
Excerpt
Differentiation is regulated at the genomic level by a preprogrammed sequence of gene activations and repressions. The main regulators are thought to be nonhistone chromosomal proteins, among which the DNA-binding proteins are the best candidates. However, histones and their variants most probably also play a role. In addition, it is conceivable that nuclear sap proteins and the nuclear skeleton, by temporarily interacting with the chromatin, might have accessory regulatory functions.
The differentiation of brain neurons is accentuated by two decisive events. The first is the commitment of continuously proliferating multipotent stem cells for future development into neurons, and the second is the conversion of committed precursor cells into non-dividing, terminally differentiating neuroblasts, which eventually will develop into functionally mature neurons. The time point of commitment to either the neuronal or the glial cell lineage is not known exactly but is thought to precede the arrest of cell division immediately. Thus,...
