10 A niversary of IIMCB

Fig. 3. β-catenin accumulation in thalamic neurons – immunohistochemistry. The sections were labeled with β-catenin specific (in green) and
neuronal marker NeuN specific antibodies (in red) (author: Marta Wiśniewska).
thalamic neurons. We collected evidence in silico, in vitro and
in vivo that corroborates with our assumption (Wisniewska
et al., submitted).
ii) We established thalamic cultures and observed
that 30%-40% of the cultured thalamic neurons contain
nuclear β-catenin, in sharp contrast to cultures of cortical
and hippocampal neurons that exhibit β-catenin only in
membranes. This confirms an unusual characteristic of
thalamic neurons regarding the subcellular distribution of
β-catenin. We want to answer the question whether nuclear
44 Annual Report 2008
localization of β-catenin in thalamic cultures depends on
extrinsic factors and which signaling pathway is engaged in
this process (Misztal et al., in preparation).
5. Characterization of biological function of CHORD
containing proteins in the nervous system (Wojciech
Michowski, Anna Skibińska-Kijek, Kamila Skieterska in
collaboration with Prof. Guido Tarone from University of
Turin)
CHORD (Cys and His Rich Domain) domains contain
a novel type of zinc fingers. In plants these domains are