Mechanisms of neuronal polarity

The mechanisms that permit neurons to establish axons and dendrites involve an interplay between a cell's genetic program and signals in its environment. Recent experiments have identified some of the important extracellular molecules that regulate dendritic development and have furthered our understanding of the endogenous cell biological mechanisms that underlie protein sorting. Some of the signaling pathways that allow extracellular cues to regulate neuronal morphogenesis are also being elucidated.