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How do brain cells communicate? Like many researchers PhD candidate Wouter Droogers is fascinated by the mysteries that surround the basics of neural communication. In his recent publication he reported on the successful use of the gene editing technique called Conditional Activation of Knock-in Expression (CAKE) in brain cells. This technique allows researchers to visualize multiple proteins at once enabling the identification of processes that may be vital for communication between brain cells.

Wouter Droogers is currently in the second year of his PhD in the lab of Harold D MacGillavry at the UU. During his first two years he has been working on multiple projects that study how brain cells communicate with each other. Fundamental research of the brain is essential for a better understanding of several human diseases and disorders such as Alzheimer’s and autism. To study general cell processes researchers have been using DNA editing techniques. This allows them to label proteins with a fluorescent tag after which they can follow the proteins through the cell and identify its function. However, studying brain cells in this manner is more complicated.

Whereas in normal cells researchers have been able to label multiple proteins in a cell at once accomplishing this in brain cells has shown to be a challenge. Wouter and colleagues have managed to do just this by using the CAKE technique. Visualization of multiple proteins at once is important because the function of a protein depends on its interaction with other proteins in the cell.

With the use of the CAKE technique Wouter is now able to study the effects of long-term stimulation on the architecture of brain connections in more detail.

With the use of the CAKE technique Wouter is now able to study the effects of long-term stimulation on the architecture of brain connections in more detail. It is thought that this change allows the brain cells to communicate more efficient. CAKE allows Wouter to follow two and possibly more proteins at once throughout the brain cell to see if they indeed are key players in the observed change in the brain cells after long-term stimulation. Identifying such proteins would greatly increase the understanding of communication processes between brain cells and therefore would be of great importance.

Wouter is certain that the use of CAKE will help him and other researchers in the future. And is excited about what the second half of his PhD project will uncover.

Interested? Read the publication: