title: Regulation of dendritic branching by Cdc42 GAPs.
abstract: Nerve cells form elaborate, highly branched dendritic trees that are optimized for the receipt of synaptic signals. Recent work published in this issue of Genes & Development by Rosario and colleagues (pp. 1743-1757) shows that a Cdc42-specific GTPase-activating protein (NOMA-GAP) regulates the branching of dendrites by neurons in the top layers of the mouse cortex. The results raise interesting questions regarding the specification of arbors in different cortical layers and the mechanisms of dendrite branching.
authors.affiliation: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington 98109, USA.
authors.forename: Sergi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Simó
authors.forename: Jonathan A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Cooper
mesh_terms: D051339:Actin Depolymerizing Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D003712:Dendrites / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D020690:GTPase-Activating Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D019579:Neocortex / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism*; D020764:cdc42 GTP-Binding Protein / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D051339:Actin Depolymerizing Factors; D020690:GTPase-Activating Proteins; C475478:TCGAP protein, mouse; D020764:cdc42 GTP-Binding Protein