Abstract
Rem2 is a small Ras-like GTPase of the Rad/Rem/Rem2/Gem/Kir (RGK) family that is highly expressed in the central nervous system. Previous studies about Rem2 were conducted either in cultured neurons or in the visual system, while we applied Rem2 knockout on the barrel cortices of unilaterally sensory-deprived pups to see its effects on dendritic formation and arborization. We discovered that the loss of Rem2 has resulted in decreases in both the quantity of primary neurites and the sizes of sensory-deprived cells, which was against the normal patterns of sensory deprivation model of the barrel cortex. This phenomenon suggests that Rem2 might play a crucial role specifically on the developmental regulation of deprived barrel cortex layer IV cells, and the underlying mechanisms might differ from those of other neuronal systems.