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The Yin and Yang of Wnt/Ryk axon guidance in development and regeneration

In the developing embryo, nascent axons navigate towards their specific targets to establish the intricate network of axonal connections linking neurons within the mature nervous system. Molecular navigational systems comprising repulsive and at- tractive guidance cues form chemotactic gradients alo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science China. Life sciences 2014-04, Vol.57 (4), p.366-371
Main Authors: Clark, Charlotte E J, Liu, Yaobo, Cooper, Helen M
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:In the developing embryo, nascent axons navigate towards their specific targets to establish the intricate network of axonal connections linking neurons within the mature nervous system. Molecular navigational systems comprising repulsive and at- tractive guidance cues form chemotactic gradients along the pathway of the exploring growth cone. Axon-bound receptors de- tect these gradients and determine the trajectory of the migrating growth cone. In contrast to their benevolent role in the de- veloping nervous system, repulsive guidance receptors are detrimental to the axon's ability to regenerate after injury in the adult. In this review we explore the essential and beneficial role played by the chemorepulsive Wnt receptor, Ryk/Derailed in axon navigation in the embryonic nervous system (the Yin function). Specifically, we focus on the role of Wnt5a/Ryk- mediated guidance in the establishment of two major axon tracts in the mammalian central nervous system, the corticospinal tract and the corpus callosum. Recent studies have also identified Ryk as a major suppressor of axonal regeneration after spinal cord injury. Thus, we also discuss this opposing aspect of Ryk function in axonal regeneration where its activity is a major impediment to axon regrowth (the Yang function).
ISSN:1674-7305
1869-1889
DOI:10.1007/s11427-014-4640-3