| Tatjana Kleele, P. Marinkovi, P. Williams, S.Stern,E. Weigand, P. Engerer, R. Naumann, J. Hartmann, R. Karl, F. Bradke, D. Bishop, J. Herms, A. Konnerth, M. Kerschensteiner, L. Godinho, T. Misgeld
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 Microtubule dynamics in neurons play critical roles in physiology, injury and disease and
determine microtubule orientation, the cell biological correlate of neurite polarization. Several
microtubule binding proteins, including end-binding protein 3 (EB3), specifically bind to the
growing plus tip of microtubules. In the past, fluorescently tagged end-binding proteins have
revealed microtubule dynamics in vitro and in non-mammalian model organisms. Here, we
devise an imaging assay based on transgenic mice expressing yellow fluorescent proteintagged
EB3 to study microtubules in intact mammalian neurites. Our approach allows
measurement of microtubule dynamics in vivo and ex vivo in peripheral nervous system and
central nervous system neurites under physiological conditions and after exposure to
microtubule-modifying drugs.We find an increase in dynamic microtubules after injury and in
neurodegenerative disease states, before axons show morphological indications of degeneration
or regrowth. Thus increased microtubule dynamics might serve as a general indicator
of neurite remodelling in health and disease.
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