Selecting synaptic partners: GRASPing the role of UNC-6/netrin
1MRC Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, New Hunt's House, Guy's Campus, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK. queelim@kcl.ac.uk
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Forming synaptic connections of the appropriate strength between specific neurons is crucial for constructing neural circuits to control behavior. A recent paper in Neural Development describes the use of a synapse-specific label in Caenorhabditis elegans to implicate local UNC-6/netrin signaling in this developmental process. Thus, as well as their well known roles in cell migration and axon guidance, UNC-6/netrin signals distinguish an appropriate synaptic partner from other potential targets.
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