Neurite extension: starting at the finish line.
The outgrowth of axons and dendrites from neuronal cell bodies to their appropriate targets is the canonical means of creating new processes. Heiman and Shaham (2009) now show that neuronal processes can also be made by anchoring dendrite tips at their target locations while the cell body pulls away, a process termed retrograde extension.
Patel
Maulik R
MR
Neurosciences Program, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
Shen
Kang
K
D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000378:metabolism; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000166:cytology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D003712:Dendrites / Q000378:metabolism; D016501:Neurites / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology*