Patterning of dendritic territories by dendrite-dendrite and dendrite-substrate interactions

Dendrites develop in highly complex environments and their interactions with neighboring neurons and the substrate are thought to be important for the establishment of their dendritic territories. Mechanisms required for the establishment of dendritic territories remain largely elusive. This thesis investigates the role of both dendrite-dendrite interactions and dendrite-substrate interactions in determining dendritic boundaries. As a part of this study I have uncovered novel mechanisms that neurons utilize to define dendritic borders and how those borders may be important determinants of neuronal function. The experiments described in this thesis have taken advantage of genetic tools in Drosophila that allow manipulation and visualization of individual neurons.