Diffusible molecular cues and cell surface cues guide axon growth
Repulsive cues guide DRG & olfactory axons to their targets
Growth cones collapse after contact with repulsive axonal factor
Semaphorins (“Collapsins”): ligands for neuropilins & plexins
Ti1 pioneer neurons need Cx1 cells or net repulsion blocks outgrowth
The Cx1 processes have chemoattractants to guide Ti1 neuron outgrowth
Spinothalamic tract= main pain pathway stem & thalamus The spinothalamic pain pathway: C fibers to 2 nd order projection neurons to brain
Motor neurons are in the ventral horn, & sensory neurons are in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord
DRG neurons project to 3 functional domains of the spinal cord: motor & pain areas
DRGs form dense projections in culture + NGF
DRG outgrowth is repelled by Sema3A-expressing cells
NGF is a potent long-range chemoattractant
How do the spinothalamic neurons know where to go?
Dorsal spinal neurons grow ventrally toward floor plate at midline
Commissural neurons are attracted to Netrin-1 in floorplate
Both vertebrate and invertebrate sensory neurons grow toward netrin/UNC-6
Trochlear (eye) motor neurons project away from Netrin
Genetic experiments in C. elegans identified key regulators in axon guidance (SNs & MNs) UNC-5 & UNC-40: receptors For UNC-6
Sensory neurons: UNC-40+. Motor neurons: UNC-5; UNC-40+
Unc-5 receptor causes motor neurons to be repelled by Netrin Direction of outgrowth
Netrins share similarity with laminin γ subunits in the ECM
Slit chemorepellant coexpressed with netrin in the ventral midline Robo: Slit receptor DCC: Netrin receptor
Midline (high Slit) (degrades Robo; Robo persists & repels from midline in mutants) (Slit ligand; no midline repulsion in Robo mutants) Comm degrades Robo to cross midline, then leaves Robo intact Midline commissural mutants in Drosophila reveal crossing mechanism
Commissural axons: balancing repulsion (Slit) and attraction (Netrin)
Rig 1 Conserved mechanism of midline crossing in flies and vertebrates
Many types of guidance cues for axons