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Updated: May 10, 2026

Detection of Axonally Localized mRNAs in Brain Sections Using High-Resolution In Situ Hybridization
Published on: June 17, 2015
RNA-binding proteins and translational regulation in axons and growth cones
Hanna Hörnberg1, Christine Holt
1Department of Physiology Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge Cambridge, UK.
Abstract:
RNA localization and regulation play an important role in the developing and adult nervous system. In navigating axons, extrinsic cues can elicit rapid local protein synthesis that mediates directional or morphological responses. The mRNA repertoire in axons is large and dynamically changing, yet studies suggest that only a subset of these mRNAs are translated after cue stimulation, suggesting the need for a high level of translational regulation. Here, we review the role of RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) as local regulators of translation in developing axons. We focus on their role in growth, guidance, and synapse formation, and discuss the mechanisms by which they regulate translation in axons.
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