Seeing the light: insulin receptors and the CNS.
Although insulin clearly affects brain function, the role of insulin receptor (IR) signaling in the establishment and function of circuits in vivo remains largely unknown. In this issue of Neuron, Chiu et al. show a role for IRs in regulating synapse density and dendritic plasticity required for visual responses in Xenopus.
Center for Neuroscience, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA. lneedleman@ucdavis.edu
Leigh A
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Needleman
A Kimberley
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McAllister
D000818:Animals; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D008027:Light; D011972:Receptor, Insulin / Q000502:physiology*; D013569:Synapses / Q000502:physiology; D014785:Vision, Ocular / Q000502:physiology*; D014981:Xenopus
D011972:Receptor, Insulin