title: Secreted cell signaling molecules in axon guidance.
abstract: The growth cones of developing neurons respond to specific guidance cues in their extracellular environment. Recent studies have shown that secreted signaling molecules from protein families that are best known for their roles as morphogens in specifying cell fate can function as axon guidance molecules. These signaling molecules seem to act directly on the growth cone and thus are likely to activate non-canonical signaling pathways that are coupled to the cytoskeleton.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, PO Box 85800, San Diego, CA 92186, USA.
authors.forename: Shingo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yoshikawa
authors.forename: John B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Thomas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D002630:Chemotactic Factors / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D020439:Growth Cones / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D002630:Chemotactic Factors