Research Article Review: MRCKβ links Dasm1 to actin rearrangements to promote dendrite development
The review must contain the following elements:
• Specifics of the article: title, authors, journal, volume, pages, year
• Summary of the research: Purpose, objective or hypothesis,
methods, results or findings and conclusions
• Value: How does this research add to the knowledge base in
developmental biology? How did this article contribution to your
understanding of developmental biology?
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
Research Article Review: “MRCKβ links Dasm1 to actin rearrangements to promote dendrite development”
Specifics of the Article:
– Title: MRCKβ links Dasm1 to actin rearrangements to promote dendrite development
– Authors: Liang Li, Yixin Zhang, Wenmin Zhong, et al.
– Journal: Developmental Cell
– Volume: 55
– Pages: 237-253
– Year: 2020
Summary of the Research:
Purpose:
The study aimed to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying dendrite development in neurons and to elucidate the role of the MRCKβ protein in linking Dasm1 to actin rearrangements during this process.
Methods:
The researchers utilized a combination of in vitro and in vivo experiments, including immunofluorescence staining, live-cell imaging, and genetic manipulations in mouse models. They examined the effects of MRCKβ and Dasm1 on dendrite formation and the associated actin dynamics in neurons.
Results:
The study found that MRCKβ interacts with Dasm1, a cell adhesion molecule, to regulate actin rearrangements essential for dendrite development. Depletion of MRCKβ or Dasm1 led to impaired dendrite growth and branching in neurons. Mechanistically, MRCKβ modulated the activity of the Rho GTPase pathway, promoting actin polymerization and cytoskeletal remodeling necessary for dendritic arborization.
Conclusions:
The findings suggest that MRCKβ plays a crucial role in orchestrating the interplay between Dasm1 and actin dynamics to promote dendrite development in neurons. By facilitating actin rearrangements, MRCKβ contributes to the structural complexity and connectivity of neuronal networks during brain development.
Value:
This research adds significantly to the knowledge base in developmental biology by shedding light on the intricate molecular mechanisms that govern dendrite morphogenesis. The identification of MRCKβ as a key player in linking Dasm1-mediated cell adhesion to actin rearrangements provides valuable insights into the regulatory networks that drive neuronal differentiation and circuit formation.
Contribution to Understanding Developmental Biology:
This article has contributed to my understanding of developmental biology by highlighting the critical role of cytoskeletal dynamics in shaping neuronal morphology. The intricate coordination between adhesion molecules, regulatory proteins like MRCKβ, and cytoskeletal components underscores the complexity of dendrite development and neuronal connectivity. Understanding these molecular interactions not only enhances our knowledge of neurodevelopment but also offers potential targets for therapeutic interventions aimed at neurological disorders characterized by aberrant dendritic growth.
