title: Roles, regulation, and mechanism of polysialic acid function during neural development.
abstract: The polysialylated form of the neural cell adhesion molecule (PSA-NCAM) appeared during the evolution of vertebrates as a new mechanism for regulation of cell interactions. This large and abundant glycoprotein can exert steric effects at the cell surface that lead to the attenuation of cell-cell bonds mediated not only by NCAM but also a variety of other adhesion receptors. PSA-NCAM expression changes both as a result of developmental programs and physiological inputs. This global modulation of cell-cell attachment has been shown to facilitate cell migration, axon pathfinding and targeting, and plastic changes in the embryonic and adult nervous system.
authors.affiliation: Cellular Biochemistry and Biophysics Program, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Ave, New York, NY 10021, USA.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Brusés
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Rutishauser
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000502:physiology*; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000254:growth & development*; D002642:Chick Embryo; D051379:Mice; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D019006:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D012794:Sialic Acids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D012799:Sialyltransferases / Q000235:genetics; D014714:Vertebrates
chemical_list: D019006:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules; D011134:Polysaccharides; D012794:Sialic Acids; C021319:polysialic acid; D012799:Sialyltransferases