Anne L. Prieto

1985 Licentiate, Biochemistry. Pontificia Universidad
Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
1992 Ph.D., Biology. The Rockefeller University,
New York, NY.
Postdoctoral Studies, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA

Research Interests

The research in my laboratory focuses on understanding the signaling mechanisms that underlie the establishment and maintenance of mature neuronal phenotypes in the developing brain. In particular, we investigate the potential functional roles of receptor protein tyrosine kinases (RPTKs) and their ligands in the central nervous system. Currently, we study a novel RPTK family, the Axl subfamily, which includes at least 4 members, Tyro-3, Axl, Mer and Rek. They share a common ligand, the molecule Gas6 (for growth-arrest specific gene-6) capable of inducing receptor phosphorylation and thus initiating intracellular signaling events upon binding. Our current efforts are focused on possible roles for these receptors and their cognate ligand in promoting the survival or growth of subsets of neural cells, in mediating cell adhesion, and in modifying synaptic function and plasticity.

Representative Papers

Prieto, A.L., Weber, J.L, Lai, C. (2000). Expression of the receptor-protein tyrosine kinases Tyro-3, Axl and Mer in the developing rat central nervous system. Journal of Comparative Neurology (Submitted).

Prieto, A.L., Weber, J.L, Tracy, S., Heeb, M.J, Lai, C. (1999) Gas6, a ligand for the receptor protein-tyrosine kinase Tyro-3, is widely expressed in the central nervous system. Brain Research, 816, 646-661.

Prieto, A.L., Edelman, G.M., Crossin, K.L. (1993). Multiple integrins mediate cell attachment to cytotactin/tenascin. Proceeding of the National Academy of Science USA, 90, 10154-10158.

Prieto, A.L., Andersson-Fisone, C., and Crossin, K.L. (1992) Characterization of multiple adhesive and counteradhesive domains in the extracellular matrix protein cytotactin. Journal of Cell Biology, 119, 663-678.

Prieto, A.L., Jones, F.S., Cunningham, B.A., Crossin, K.L., and Edelman, G.M. (1990) Localization during development of alternatively-spliced forms of cytotactin by in situ hybridization. Journal of Cell Biology, 111, 685-698.

Prieto, A.L., Crossin, K.L., Cunningham, B.A., and Edelman, G.M. (1989) Localization of mRNA for N-CAM polypeptides in neural and non-neural tissues by in situ hybridization. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, USA, 86, 9579-9583.