Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 5, 2026
16:29
Neuronal Cell Cultures from Aplysia for High-Resolution Imaging of Growth Cones
Published on: February 20, 2008
Steering growth cones with a CaMKII/calcineurin switch
1Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Box 3709, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
Neuron
|September 15, 2004
Summary
Calcium signaling in growth cones directs neuronal wiring. Differential activation of CaMKII and calcineurin (CaN) determines whether calcium signals promote attraction or repulsion, guiding nerve cell development.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cell Biology
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Growth cone guidance is crucial for neural circuit formation.
- Intracellular calcium dynamics play a key role in regulating growth cone turning behaviors.
- Previous studies have implicated calcium in both attractive and repulsive growth cone guidance.
Discussion:
- Wen et al. demonstrate that distinct intracellular calcium signal patterns are differentially interpreted by downstream effectors.
- Calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) and calcineurin (CaN) act as critical molecular switches.
- The balance of CaMKII and CaN activation dictates the growth cone's response to calcium signals, switching between attraction and repulsion.
Key Insights:
- Specific patterns of intracellular calcium transients are decoded by distinct signaling pathways.
- Differential activation of CaMKII and CaN provides a mechanism for switching growth cone turning responses.
- This signaling network allows for precise control over axonal pathfinding during development.
Outlook:
- Further research could explore the spatial and temporal regulation of CaMKII and CaN activation in vivo.
- Understanding these mechanisms may offer insights into developmental disorders associated with aberrant neural wiring.
- Investigating upstream regulators of calcium signaling could reveal novel therapeutic targets.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:31Mechanism of Lamellipodia Formation
Cells migrating in response to external stimuli form lamellipodia, which are thin membrane protrusions supported by a mesh of linked, branched, or unbranched actin filaments. These actin filaments interact with myosin motor proteins, creating the dynamic actomyosin complex within the cytoskeleton. Contractility, or the ability to generate contractile stress, is inherent to the actomyosin complex. It helps cells detect the stiffness of the surrounding ECM and exert contractile force for...
01:05Mechanism of Ciliary Motion
The ciliary structures were first seen in 1647 by Antonie Leeuwenhoek while observing the protozoans. In lower organisms, these appendages are responsible for cell movement, while in higher organisms, these appendages help in the movement of the extracellular fluids within the body cavities.
The cilia are made up of microtubules in a 9+2 arrangement, with nine microtubule doublet ring bundles, surrounding a pair of central singlet microtubule bundles. The doublet microtubule bundles are...
The cilia are made up of microtubules in a 9+2 arrangement, with nine microtubule doublet ring bundles, surrounding a pair of central singlet microtubule bundles. The doublet microtubule bundles are...
01:16Calmodulin-dependent Signaling
Calmodulin (CaM) is a calcium-binding protein in eukaryotes that controls various calcium-regulated cellular processes. It has four calcium-binding sites that bind calcium to form the calcium-calmodulin ( Ca2+-CaM) complex. GPCR stimulation increases the calcium levels in the cells that bind to CaM and induces a conformational change.
The Ca2+-CaM complex does not have enzymatic activity by itself. Instead, the complex binds downstream target proteins, including membrane proteins or enzymes,...
The Ca2+-CaM complex does not have enzymatic activity by itself. Instead, the complex binds downstream target proteins, including membrane proteins or enzymes,...