The role of protein biosynthesis and ene expression in learning has been well documented. Similarly, the role of activation of glutamate receptors in neuronal plasticity have been shown repeatedly. In our studies we found that L-glutamate, acting through different kinds of its receptors may stimulate expression of c-fos and other genes encoding components of transcroption factors both in vivo and in vitro. We have also documented elevated expression of c-fos after induction of long lasting long term potentiation and variaous forms of behavioral training. In this paper these data are reviewed and a hypothesis, suggesting that neuronal nuclei may act as information integration device in memory formation is proposed.
In the central nervous system (CNS) generation of new neurons continues throughout adulthood, when it is limited to the olfactory bulb and hippocampus. The knowledge regarding the function of newly-generated neurons remains limited and is vigorously investigated using diverse approaches. Among these are genetically modified mice, most of them of knock-out type (KO). Results from 23 diverse KO mouse models demonstrate the importance of particular proteins (growth factors, nitric oxide synthases, receptors, cyclins/cyclin-associated proteins, transcription factors, etc.) in adult neurogenesis (ANGE) as well as separate it from developmental neurogenesis. These results bring us closer to revealing the function of newly generated neurons in adult brains.