title: Eph and ephrin signaling: lessons learned from spinal motor neurons.
abstract: In nervous system assembly, Eph/ephrin signaling mediates many axon guidance events that shape the formation of precise neuronal connections. However, due to the complexity of interactions between Ephs and ephrins, the molecular logic of their action is still being unraveled. Considerable advances have been made by studying the innervation of the limb by spinal motor neurons, a series of events governed by Eph/ephrin signaling. Here, we discuss the contributions of different Eph/ephrin modes of interaction, downstream signaling and electrical activity, and how these systems may interact both with each other and with other guidance molecules in limb muscle innervation. This simple model system has emerged as a very powerful tool to study this set of molecules, and will continue to be so by virtue of its simplicity, accessibility and the wealth of pioneering cellular studies.
authors: Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal, Montréal, QC, H2W 1R7, Canada.
authors: Tzu-Jen
authors: TJ
authors: Kao
authors: Chris
authors: C
authors: Law
authors: Artur
authors: A
authors: Kania
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D036342:Ephrins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D005121:Extremities / Q000294:innervation; D006801:Humans; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D009420:Nervous System / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D036081:Receptors, Eph Family / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology*
chemical_list: D036342:Ephrins; D036081:Receptors, Eph Family