Review
- The EMBO Journal (2007) 26, 3729 - 3736
- doi:10.1038/sj.emboj.7601808
Published online: 26 July 2007
Subject Categories:
Local translation and directional steering in axons
Andrew C Lin1 and Christine E Holt1
- Department of Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
Correspondence to:
Andrew C Lin, Department of Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3DY, UK. Tel.: +44 1223 766230; Fax: +44 1223 333786; E-mail: al404@cam.ac.uk
Received 2 April 2007; Accepted 2 July 2007
Abstract
The assembly of functional neural circuits in the developing brain requires neurons to extend axons to the correct targets. This in turn requires the navigating tips of axons to respond appropriately to guidance cues present along the axonal pathway, despite being cellular 'outposts' far from the soma. Work over the past few years has demonstrated a critical role for local translation within the axon in this process in vitro, making axon guidance another process that requires spatially localized translation, among others such as synaptic plasticity, cell migration, and cell polarity. This article reviews recent findings in local axonal translation and discusses how new protein synthesis may function in growth cone guidance, with a comparative view toward models of local translation in other systems.
Keywords:
- axon guidance,
- growth cone,
- RNA-binding protein,
- translation
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