Attraction vs. repulsion: the growth cone decides.
Axons are guided through their environment in response to signals provided by extracellular cues. These cues are transduced into motile responses by the tip of the growing axon, the growth cone, and can be either repulsive or attractive in nature. Recent studies have suggested that how an axon responds to any given signal depends on the internal state of the growth cone. This review discusses these studies and their importance for understanding how nerve connections are made in the developing embryo.
McFarlane
S
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Genes and Development Research Group, University of Calgary, AB, Canada. smcfarla@ucalgary.ca
D000818:Animals; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000502:physiology; D020013:Calcium Signaling; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology; D020439:Growth Cones / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D007797:Laminin / Q000494:pharmacology; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D009024:Morphogenesis; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000502:physiology*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D000075388:Netrin-1; D015290:Second Messenger Systems / Q000502:physiology; D013873:Thionucleotides / Q000494:pharmacology; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D014982:Xenopus laevis
D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D007797:Laminin; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D013873:Thionucleotides; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D000075388:Netrin-1; C016957:adenosine-3',5'-cyclic phosphorothioate; D000242:Cyclic AMP