Journal: Frontiers in Neural Circuits

Article Title: Catenin signaling controls phrenic motor neuron development and function during a narrow temporal window

doi: 10.3389/fncir.2023.1121049

Figure Lengend Snippet: Catenin signaling is required for survival and proper respiratory behavior. (A) B- and γ-catenin are obligate intracellular factors required for cadherin-mediated cell adhesive function. We utilized inactivation of β- and γ-catenin in MNs (β- catenin flox/flox; γ- catenin flox/flox; Olig2::Cre , referred to as βγ- cat MN Δ mice) as a strategy to define the function of cadherin signaling in phrenic MNs. (B) Appearance of P0 control and βγ- cat MN Δ mice. B γ- cat MN Δ mice are cyanotic and die shortly after birth. (C) Experimental setup for whole body plethysmography experiments. (D) Representative 10 s traces in room air from control and βγ- cat MN Δ mice at P0. (E) βγ- cat MN Δ mice display reduced tidal volume resulting in a 45% reduction in overall ventilation ( n = 4 control, n = 6 βγ- cat MN Δ mice). ** p < 0.01.

Article Snippet: The following antibodies were used: rabbit anti-cleaved Caspase 3 (1:1000; Cell Signaling, RRID:AB_2341188 ), mouse anti-olig2-A488-conjugated (1:500; Millipore, RRID:AB_11205039 ), rabbit anti-β-Catenin (1:250; Cell Signaling Technology, RRID:AB_11127203 ), goat anti-Scip (1:5000; Santa Cruz Biotechnology, RRID:AB_2268536 ), mouse anti-Islet1/2 (1:1000, DSHB, RRID:AB_2314683 ) , rabbit anti-neurofilament (1:1000; Synaptic Systems, RRID:AB_887743 ), rabbit anti-synaptophysin (1:250, Thermo Fisher, RRID:AB_10983675 ), and α-bungarotoxin Alexa Fluor 555 conjugate (1:1000; Invitrogen, RRID:AB_2617152 ).

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