title: Formation of axon-dendrite polarity in situ: initiation of axons from polarized and non-polarized cells.
abstract: Neurons are polarized cells that extend a single axon and several dendrites. Historically, how neurons establish their axon-dendrite polarity has been extensively studied using dissociated hippocampal cells in culture. Although such studies have identified the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying axon-dendrite polarization, the conclusions have been limited to in vitro conditions. Recent progress using live imaging has enabled us to directly observe axon formation in situ, revealing distinct cellular mechanisms that regulate axon-dendrite polarization in vivo. In this review, we compare the cellular events during axon formation studied in various systems both in vivo and in vitro and discuss possible common mechanisms underlying the axon-dendrite polarization.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cerebral Circuitry, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan.
authors.forename: Yumiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hatanaka
authors.forename: Kenta
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamauchi
authors.forename: Fujio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Murakami
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology*; D054337:Cell Dedifferentiation; D002465:Cell Movement; D016764:Cell Polarity; D048430:Cell Shape; D002525:Cerebellar Cortex / Q000502:physiology; D003712:Dendrites / Q000502:physiology*; D007395:Interneurons / Q000502:physiology; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D046569:Neuroepithelial Cells / Q000502:physiology; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000502:physiology