title: Midline axon guidance and human genetic disorders.
abstract: In bilaterally symmetric animals, many axons cross the midline to interconnect the left and right sides of the central nervous system (CNS). This process is critical for the establishment of neural circuits that control the proper integration of information perceived by the organism and the resulting response. While neurons at different levels of the CNS project axons across the midline, the molecules that regulate this process are common to many if not all midline-crossing regions. This article reviews the molecules that function as guidance cues at the midline in the developing vertebrate spinal cord, cortico-spinal tract and corpus callosum. As well, we describe the mutations that have been identified in humans that are linked to axon guidance and midline-crossing defects.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Biology of Neural Development, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal (IRCM), Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Izzi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Charron
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology*; D003337:Corpus Callosum / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D000075389:DCC Receptor; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D005826:Genetics, Medical; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009154:Mutation; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009421:Nervous System Malformations / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000075388:Netrin-1; D055495:Neurogenesis / Q000235:genetics*; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014714:Vertebrates / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000097905:Roundabout Proteins
chemical_list: D000075389:DCC Receptor; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D000075388:Netrin-1; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D000097905:Roundabout Proteins; C501909:DCC protein, human; C492289:SLIT1 protein, human