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First published online November 26, 2007

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Inside story on Sema3A and axonal pathfinding

During nervous system development, a handful of guidance cues produces a complex neuronal wiring pattern, but exactly how is unclear. Now, on p. 4491, Valérie Castellani and colleagues report that the expression of the repulsive guidance cue semaphorin 3A (Sema3A) by motoneurons sets the sensitivity of their axons to environmental semaphorin sources. Sema3A secreted by peripheral tissues interacts with neuropilin (its receptor) in the growth cones of motoneurons to control motor axon pathfinding, but Sema3A is also expressed by motoneurons themselves during axonal pathfinding. The researchers show that Sema3A overexpression in the neural tube of chick embryos induces the exuberant growth of motor axon projections through normally non-permissive tissues, but that RNAi knockdown of Sema3A in motoneurons inhibits the normal dorsal growth of these neurons. Other experiments indicate that Sema3A expression in motoneurons sets their sensitivity to exogenous Sema3A by regulating neuropilin availability at the growth cone. Thus, the interplay between intrinsic and extrinsic Sema3A may help to organize the axonal pathways of motoneurons.

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Related articles in Development:

Semaphorin and neuropilin co-expression in motoneurons sets axon sensitivity to environmental semaphorin sources during motor axon pathfinding

Frédéric Moret, Christelle Renaudot, Muriel Bozon, and Valérie Castellani
Development 2007 134: 4491-4501. [Abstract] [Full Text]  

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Related articles in Development Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?