Transcription in neuromuscular junction formation: who turns on whom?
The neuromuscular junction is a particular advantageous synapse to investigate the molecular processes engaged in synaptogenesis. Both the motor nerve and the muscle cell contribute to the patterned distribution of a definite set of membrane proteins into two distinct regions, a sub-synaptic end plate zone and an extra-synaptic region. Accordingly, the transcription of acetylcholine receptors is highly compartmentalized being much higher in the sub-synaptic the in the extra-synaptic region. In this review, we focus on the signaling pathways and the gene expression mechanisms that mediate the enhanced transcription in the sub-synaptic region and the silencing of transcription in extra-synaptic regions.
Sunesen
Morten
M
Laboratoire de Recepteurs et Cognition, CNRS URA 2182, Institut Pasteur, 25 rue du Dr Roux, 75724 Paris cedex 15, France. msunesen@pasteur.fr
Changeux
Jean-Pierre
JP
D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000502:physiology*