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Polarity Determinants in Dendritic Spine Development and Plasticity.
1Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA.
Neural Plasticity
|February 4, 2016
Summary
Cellular polarity proteins are crucial for animal development and neuronal plasticity. These conserved proteins, functioning similarly in epithelial cells and neurons, regulate dendritic spine formation and function.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cell Biology
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Asymmetric distribution of proteins and RNAs is vital for animal development.
- Conserved polarity determinants regulate cellular polarity.
- Polarity proteins are increasingly recognized for their roles in neuronal development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the role of conserved polarity proteins in dendritic spine development and plasticity.
- To highlight the similarities and differences between polarity protein function in epithelial morphogenesis and neuronal development.
- To identify current knowledge gaps and future research directions in this field.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies over the last 10 years.
- Analysis of conserved polarity protein functions in epithelial and neuronal contexts.
- Synthesis of findings on apical-basal polarity and planar cell polarity regulators.
Main Results:
- Polarity proteins, including apical-basal and planar cell polarity regulators, play significant roles in dendritic spine development and plasticity.
- Many conserved polarity machineries function similarly in spine development as in epithelial morphogenesis.
- Some polarity proteins employ neuronal-specific mechanisms.
Conclusions:
- Conserved polarity proteins are essential regulators of dendritic spine development and plasticity.
- Understanding these proteins offers insights into neuronal circuitry formation and function.
- Further research is needed to fully elucidate the mechanisms by which polarity proteins shape neuronal circuits.
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