β-catenin is critical for dendritic morphogenesis

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Abstract
Regulated growth and arborization of dendritic processes are critical to the formation of functional neuronal networks. Here we identify β-catenin as a critical mediator of dendritic morphogenesis. We found that increasing the intracellular levels of β-catenin and other members of the cadherin/catenin complex, namely N-cadherin and αN-catenin, enhances dendritic arborization in rat hippocampal neurons, an effect that does not require Wnt/β-catenin-dependent transcription. Conversely, proteins that sequester β-catenin decreased dendritic branch tip number and total dendritic branch length. Enhancement of dendritic growth elicited by depolarization requires β-catenin and increased Wnt release. These results identify Wnt/β-catenin signaling as an important mediator of dendritic development and suggest that the intracellular level of the cadherin/catenin complex is a limiting factor during critical stages of dendritic morphogenesis.