This thesis describes the process of neuronal differentiation of Ns-1 PC12 cells in response to Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) treatment. By means of DNA microrrays, genome-wide transcriptional... Show moreThis thesis describes the process of neuronal differentiation of Ns-1 PC12 cells in response to Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) treatment. By means of DNA microrrays, genome-wide transcriptional profiling was performed during the initial 2 hours of NGF-treatment and during the initial 4 days of NGF-treatment. In the first case 5 previously unrecognized NGF-responsive immediate-early genes were discovered and in the second case, nearly 1600 NGF-responsive delayed-response genes were measured. Particularly, DCLK-short appeared to be a highly responsive transcript during NGF-induced neuronal differentiation of Ns-1 PC12 cells. The function of its corresponding protein was investigated and shown to mediate neuronal outgrowth of these cells, in a phosphorylation-dependent manner. Moreover, the molecular pathways underlying its basal and induced expression were analysed. Show less
