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Corticothalamic axons express Contactin-2 (CNTN2/TAG-1), a neuronal recognition molecule of the immunoglobulin superfamily involved in neurogenesis, neurite outgrowth, and fasciculation. TAG-1, which is expressed transiently by cortical pyramidal neurons during embryonic development, has been shown to be fundamental for axonal recognition, cellular migration, and neuronal proliferation in the developing cortex. Although Tag-1−/− mice do not exhibit any obvious defects in the corticofugal system, the role of TAG-1+ neurons during the development of the cortex remains elusive. We have generated a mouse model expressing EGFP under the Tag-1 promoter and encompassing the coding sequence of Diptheria Toxin subunit A (DTA) under quiescence with no effect on the expression of endogenous Tag-1. We show that while the line recapitulates the expression pattern of the molecule, it highlights an extended expression in the forebrain, including multiple axonal tracts and neuronal populations, both spatially and temporally. Crossing these mice to the Emx1-Cre strain, we ablated the vast majority of TAG-1+ cortical neurons. Among the observed defects were a significantly smaller cortex, a reduction of corticothalamic axons as well as callosal and commissural defects. Such defects are common in neurodevelopmental disorders, thus this mouse could serve as a useful model to study physiological and pathophysiological cortical development., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Integrins require an activation step prior to ligand binding and signaling. How talin and kindlin contribute to these events in non-hematopoietic cells is poorly understood. Here we report that fibroblasts lacking either talin or kindlin failed to activate β1 integrins, adhere to fibronectin (FN) or maintain their integrins in a high affinity conformation induced by Mn2+. Despite compromised integrin activation and adhesion, Mn2+ enabled talin- but not kindlin-deficient cells to initiate spreading on FN. This isotropic spreading was induced by the ability of kindlin to directly bind paxillin, which in turn bound focal adhesion kinase (FAK) resulting in FAK activation and the formation of lamellipodia. Our findings show that talin and kindlin cooperatively activate integrins leading to FN binding and adhesion, and that kindlin subsequently assembles an essential signaling node at newly formed adhesion sites in a talin-independent manner. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.10130.001, eLife digest A meshwork of proteins called the extracellular matrix surrounds the cells that make up our tissues. Integrins are adhesion proteins that sit on the membrane surrounding each cell and bind to the matrix proteins. These adhesive interactions control many aspects of cell behavior such as their ability to divide, move and survive. Before integrins can bind to the extracellular matrix they must be activated. Previous research has shown that in certain types of blood cells, proteins called talins and kindlins perform this activation. These proteins bind to the part of the integrin that extends into the cell, causing shape changes to the integrin that allow binding to the extracellular matrix. However, it is not clear whether talin and kindlin also activate integrins in other cell types. Fibroblasts are cells that help to make extracellular matrix proteins, and are an important part of connective tissue. Theodosiou et al. engineered mouse fibroblast cells to lack either talin or kindlin, and found that both of these mutant cell types were unable to activate their integrins and as a result failed to bind to an extracellular matrix protein called fibronectin. Even when cells were artificially induced to activate integrins by treating them with manganese ions, cells lacking talin or kindlin failed to fully activate integrins and hence did not adhere well to fibronectin. This suggests that talin and kindlin work together to activate integrins and to maintain them in this activated state. When treated with manganese ions, cells that lacked talin were able to flatten and spread out, whereas cells that lacked kindlin were unable to undergo this shape change. Theodosiou et al. found that this cell shape is dependent on kindlin and its ability to bind to and recruit a protein called paxillin to “adhesion sites”, where integrins connect the cell surface with the extracellular matrix. Kindlin and paxillin then work together to activate other signaling molecules to induce the cell spreading. The next challenge is to understand how talin and kindlin are activated in non-blood cells and how they maintain integrins in an active state. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.10130.002