Signaling of secreted semaphorins in growth cone steering

Adv Exp Med Biol. 2007:600:52-60. doi: 10.1007/978-0-387-70956-7_5.

Abstract

Despite a tremendous amount of progress in the identification and characterization of many new players as components of class 3 secreted semaphorin signaling in growth cone steering (Fig. 1), our understanding of the molecular mechanisms is far from complete. More questions remain to be answered: how are differential cytoskeletal changes within a growth cone achieved in response to semaphorins? What are the target(s) of cyclic nucleotide modulation? How does a growth cone make a reliable decision in response to a shallow gradient? And finally, how does a growth cone maintain its sensitivity to a decreasing concentration ofsemaphorins when it is growing away from the source? With a high degree of interest in the field with the development of novel technologies in analyzing growth cone steering, we expect to see a much more complete picture of semaphoring signaling in the near future.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Growth Cones / chemistry
  • Growth Cones / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Nervous System / embryology
  • Semaphorins / chemistry
  • Semaphorins / classification
  • Semaphorins / metabolism
  • Semaphorins / physiology*
  • Signal Transduction / physiology*

Substances

  • Semaphorins