Research Interests:

My laboratory is interested in the general theme of neuronal cell fate, growth and differentiation. The main project involves the study of an actin binding protein known as glia maturation factor (GMF) in neuronal process outgrowth. GMF is an actin depolymerizing factor localized to the cytoplasm of the soma and axonal compartments of neurons. Model systems used to study neuronal differentiation include primary embryonic neuronal cultures, and cell lines derived from neural tumour derived cell lines (neuroblastoma, medulloblastoma).

A second project examines the role of the Dlx homeobox gene family in vertebrate forebrain development. Dlx genes are expressed in distinct regions of the embryonic forebrain, including the striatum, neocortex and retina. Particular emphasis will be placed on the determination of cell fate of Dlx (+) retinal neuroepithelial precursors in mouse embryos, retinal explants and retinoblastoma cell lines.

Selected Publications:

1. Anderson SA, Eisenstat DD, Shi L, Rubenstein JLR. Interneuron migration from basal forebrain to neocortex: dependence on Dlx genes. Science 278: 474-476, 1997. PMID 9334308
2. Anderson S, Qiu M-S, Bulfone A, Eisenstat DD, Meneses JJ, Pedersen RA, Rubenstein JLR. Mutations of the homeobox genes Dlx-1 and Dlx-2 disrupt the striatal subventricular zone and differentiation of late-born striatal neurons. Neuron 19 (1): 27-37, 1997. PMID 9247261
3. Ding M, Robel L, James AJ, Eisenstat DD, Leckman JF, Rubenstein JLR, Vaccarino FM. Dlx-2 homeobox gene controls neuronal differentiation in primary cultures of developing basal ganglia. J. Mol. Neuroscience 8(2): 93-113, 1997. PMID 9188040
4. Anderson SA, Qiu M-S, Eisenstat D, Meneses J, Pederson R and Rubenstein JLR. DLX-1 or DLX-2 is necessary for the development of GABA immunoreactivity in the mouse isocortex and olfactory bulb. Society for Neuroscience 1996; 22: 985 (abstract).
5. Eisenstat DD, Bazan JF, Bulfone A, Rubenstein JLR, Israel MA. Glia maturation factor expression in nervous system tumor-derived cell lines and during development. Proceedings, American Association for Cancer Research 1995; 36: 621 (abstract).
6. Eisenstat D, Shimamura K, Bulfone A, Liu J-K, Martinez S, Puelles L, Fan CM, Tessier-Lavigne M, Schachner M and Rubenstein J. The prosomeric model of the embryonic forebrain. Society for Neuroscience 1994; 20: 253 (abstract).

PubMed Listed Publication