Neurobiology Section, Division of Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0366, USA.
Annu Rev Cell Dev Biol. 2011;27:697-729. doi: 10.1146/annurev-cellbio-092910-154111. Epub 2011 Jul 5.
The nervous system consists of an ensemble of billions of neurons interconnected in a highly specific pattern that allows proper propagation and integration of neural activities. The organization of these specific connections emerges from sequential developmental events including axon guidance, target selection, and synapse formation. These events critically rely on cell-cell recognition and communication mediated by cell-surface ligands and receptors. Recent studies have uncovered central roles for leucine-rich repeat (LRR) domain-containing proteins, not only in organizing neural connectivity from axon guidance to target selection to synapse formation, but also in various nervous system disorders. Their versatile LRR domains, in particular, serve as key sites for interactions with a wide diversity of binding partners. Here, we focus on a few exquisite examples of secreted or membrane-associated LRR proteins in Drosophila and mammals and review the mechanisms by which they regulate diverse aspects of nervous system development and function.
神经系统由数十亿个神经元组成，这些神经元以高度特异的模式相互连接，从而实现神经活动的适当传播和整合。这些特定连接的组织来自于包括轴突导向、靶标选择和突触形成在内的连续发育事件。这些事件严重依赖于细胞表面配体和受体介导的细胞间识别和通讯。最近的研究揭示了富含亮氨酸重复（LRR）结构域的蛋白质在组织神经连接方面的核心作用，不仅包括从轴突导向到靶标选择到突触形成，还包括各种神经系统疾病。它们多样的 LRR 结构域，特别是作为与广泛多样性的结合伙伴相互作用的关键部位。在这里，我们将重点介绍果蝇和哺乳动物中几种分泌型或膜相关的 LRR 蛋白的典型例子，并综述它们调节神经系统发育和功能的多种机制。
