Units

Laboratory of Histology

Person in charge of the Unit : Oui

The Laboratory of Histology, Neuroanatomy and Neuropathology has a research activity mainly devoted to the understanding of etiopathogeny of neurodegenerative diseases, essentially Alzheimer's disease and other ''tauopathies''. These studies are performed in parallel in pathological tissues and in cellular and transgenic models with the aim to validate concepts and hypothesis resulting from observations carried out on different models. The experimental approach is privileging the use of various neurobiological techniques and the analysis from the molecular and cellular levels to the behavioural level. Other research activities are devoted to comparative neurobiology of brain aging, and calcium signaling.

Projetcs

Study of the neuronal cytoskeleton

 This project is devoted to the functional analysis of microtubules, a component of the cytoskeleton. We study in cellular models the modification in the organisation and transport functions of neuronal microtubules induced by changes in phosphorylation of microtubule-associated proteins. These studies are performed using cellular time lapse imaging, immunocytochemistry, electron microscopy and biochemical analysis of proteins.

Alzheimer's disease

This research project is devoted to the analysis of the etiopathogeny of Alzheimer's disease, a frequent neurodegenerative disease associated to brain aging. We study the cellular lesions of the disease in brain tissue of patients, and in cellular and transgenic models reproducing these lesions. These experimental models are analyzed by histological and biochemical methods, with the aim of investigating functional changes of keys-proteins (tau proteins, APP protein) involved in the development of the disease and how these proteins interact to induce cellular lesions of Alzheimer's disease. These models are also used to test potential therapeutic approachs interfering with the formation of the cellular lesions.