Perspectives on Mechanisms Supporting Neuronal Polarity From Small Animals to Humans
Carlos Wilson1, Ana Lis Moyano1, Alfredo Cáceres1
1Centro de Investigación en Medicina Traslacional Severo R. Amuchástegui (CIMETSA), Instituto Universitario de Ciencias Biomédicas de Córdoba (IUCBC), Córdoba, Argentina.
Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology
|May 6, 2022
Summary
Neurons establish polarity to form axons and dendrites, essential for brain wiring. Decades of research reveal molecular cues and cellular processes, with new models like human iPSC neurons offering further insights.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cell Biology
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Neuronal polarity, or axon-dendrite formation, is critical for establishing neural connections.
- Early research relied on rat hippocampal neuron cultures, leading to significant discoveries about polarity establishment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review key mechanisms controlling neuronal polarization over decades.
- To highlight considerations for studying neuronal polarity in novel experimental systems.
Main Methods:
- Review of historical and current research on neuronal polarity.
- Integration of findings from various model systems, including cell cultures, invertebrates, rodents, and human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs).
Main Results:
- Identified external and internal cues that regulate gene expression, protein stability, polarity complex assembly (PAR3-PAR6-aPKC), cytoskeleton remodeling, and vesicle trafficking.
- Incorporated insights from in vivo and in situ studies on tissue influence, glia-neuron interactions, and 3D development.
Conclusions:
- Neuronal polarization is a complex process influenced by multiple signaling pathways and cellular components.
- Emerging models like hiPSC-derived neurons and human brain organoids provide new avenues for understanding human-specific aspects of neuronal polarity.
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