Descrambling Dscam diversity.
Neuronal processes exhibit exquisitely complex branching patterns crucial for the formation of distinct neural circuits. In this issue of Cell, Chen et al. (2006) show that the isoform diversity of the Dscam protein in Drosophila is required to establish stereotypical axonal branching patterns, suggesting that nonrandom expression of Dscam alternative splice variants determines neural connectivity.
Bharadwaj
Rajnish
R
Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 725 N. Wolfe St./1001 PCTB, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
Kolodkin
Alex L
AL