title: Neurotrophic regulation of retinal ganglion cell synaptic connectivity: from axons and dendrites to synapses.
abstract: This review highlights important events during the morphological development of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), focusing on mechanisms that control axon and dendritic arborization as a means to understand synaptic connectivity with special emphasis on the role of neurotrophins during structural and functional development of RGCs. Neurotrophins and their receptors participate in the development of visual connectivity at multiple levels. In the visual system, neurotrophins have been shown to exert various developmental influences, from guiding the morphological differentiation of neurons to controlling the functional plasticity of visual circuits. This review article examines the role of neurotrophins, and in particular of BDNF, during the morphological development of RGCs, and discusses potential interactions between activity and neurotrophins during development of neuronal connectivity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology & Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA. scohenco@uci.edu
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cohen-Cory
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lom
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000378:metabolism*; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D003712:Dendrites / Q000378:metabolism*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D012160:Retina / Q000378:metabolism; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013477:Superior Colliculi / Q000378:metabolism; D013569:Synapses / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D014785:Vision, Ocular / Q000502:physiology*; D014981:Xenopus
chemical_list: D009414:Nerve Growth Factors