The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute, Brisbane 4072, Australia.
The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute, Brisbane 4072, Australia.
Curr Opin Neurobiol. 2018 Dec;53:57-65. doi: 10.1016/j.conb.2018.05.005. Epub 2018 Jun 9.
Long-range projection neurons of the neocortex form the major tracts of the mammalian brain and are crucial for sensory-motor, associative and executive functions. Development of such circuits involves neuronal proliferation, specification and migration, as well as axonal elongation, navigation and targeting, where growing axons encounter multiple guidance cues and integrate these signals to execute guidance decisions. The complexity of axon guidance mechanisms in the formation of long-range neuronal projections has suggested that they might be under control of transcription factors, which are DNA-binding proteins that regulate the expression of downstream genes. Here we discuss recent advances in our understanding of the control of axon guidance by transcriptional regulation, as well as future directions for the elucidation of the mechanisms and pathological relevance of this process.
大脑皮层的长程投射神经元构成了哺乳动物大脑的主要束路，对于感觉运动、联想和执行功能至关重要。这些回路的发育涉及神经元的增殖、特化和迁移，以及轴突的伸长、导航和靶向，在此过程中，生长的轴突会遇到多种导向线索，并整合这些信号来做出导向决策。长程神经元投射形成过程中的轴突导向机制的复杂性表明，它们可能受到转录因子的控制，转录因子是一种 DNA 结合蛋白，可调节下游基因的表达。在这里，我们讨论了我们对转录调控控制轴突导向的理解的最新进展，以及阐明这一过程的机制和病理相关性的未来方向。
