ANNULÉ : Cytoskeleton club - Christophe Leterrier

Speaker: Christophe Leterrier

Institute for Neurophysiopathology, NeuroCyto lab, CNRS-Aix Marseille University, Marseille, France

Title: The axonal cytoskeleton down to the nanoscale

Abstract:
The intricate arborization and molecular identity of axons is maintained for decades, but must also continuously adapt to changes in the environment and modulate the activity of neurons. Axons fulfill these paradoxical demands thanks to a unique cytoskeletal organization that ensures the coordinated transport, anchoring and assembly of axonal components. In our lab, we use super-resolution microscopy to delineate and map the nanoscale architecture of cytoskeletal structures within the axon: the periodic actin/spectrin submembrane scaffold, presynaptic actin assemblies, clathrin-coated pits, microtubule bundles. We are exploring their molecular organization and functions by combining versatile labeling approaches, correlative live-cell / super-resolution / electron microscopy and quantitative analysis that allow for high-content, nanoscale interrogation of the axonal architecture.

Short bio:
Originally trained as an engineer, Christophe Leterrier turned to cell biology and neurobiology for his PhD. Since then, his research has focused on understanding how neurons are organized at the cellular level. How do they differentiate, and how do they develop and maintain their complex arborization? How do they establish and preserve their polarity, with axons and dendrites enabling them to send and receive signals? Multiple processes contribute to this cellular organization: the development of cell architecture (driven by the cytoskeleton), intracellular protein transport (via diffusion and motor proteins), and the segregation of components into distinct compartments (such as axons, synapses, and dendritic spines).
Christophe Leterrier leads the NeuroCyto lab in Marseille, where his team uses advanced microscopy techniques to directly observe molecular assemblies at the nanoscale in neurons, uncovering how these structures organize the neuron and shape its physiology.