Should I stay or should I go: Wnt signals at the synapse.
Several extracellular factors, including Wnt proteins, have been reported to induce synapse formation. In this issue, Klassen and Shen (2007) report that Wnt proteins can also act as antisynaptogenic signals to prevent synapse formation in certain parts of the worm Caenorhabditis elegans. The differential response of axon populations to local Wnt proteins may contribute to the patterning of synaptic connections.
Davis
Elizabeth
E
Neurobiology Section, Division of Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
Ghosh
Anirvan
A
D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000378:metabolism; D019521:Body Patterning; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051157:Frizzled Receptors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D009154:Mutation; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013569:Synapses / Q000378:metabolism*; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D051157:Frizzled Receptors; D051153:Wnt Proteins