title: Physiological and pathological significance of dynamin-related protein 1 (drp1)-dependent mitochondrial fission in the nervous system.
abstract: Mitochondria are essential for proper neuronal morphogenesis and functions, as they are the major source of energy for neural development. The dynamic morphology of mitochondria determines the key functions of mitochondria. Several regulatory proteins such as dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1) are required to maintain mitochondrial morphology via a balance between continuous fusion and fission. Activity of Drp1, a key regulator in mitochondrial fission, is modulated by multiple post-translation modifications and receptor interactions. In addition, numerous researches have revealed that the regulation of Drp1 activity and mitochondrial dynamics is closely associated with several neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. In this article, we concisely review the recent findings about the biological importance of Drp1-mediated mitochondrial fission in neurons under physiological and pathological conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul 136-705, Korea.
authors.forename: Bongki
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: So Yoen
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Hyo Min
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Hyun Jung
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Woong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sun
keywords: Drp1; fission; mitochondria; neurodegeneration; neuron