Student Authors
Lei ShiAcademic Program
NeuroscienceDocument Type
Book ChapterPublication Date
2012-03-07Keywords
Animals*Cell Adhesion Molecules
*Cell Communication
Drosophila Proteins
Gene Expression Regulation
Neurons
Protein Isoforms
Neuroscience and Neurobiology
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Cell recognition requires interactions through molecules located on cell surface. The insect homolog of Down syndrome cell adhesion molecule (Dscam) manifests huge molecular diversity in its extracellular domain. High-affinity Dscam-Dscam interactions only occur between isoforms that carry identical extracellular domains. Homophilic Dscam signaling can, thus, vary in strength depending on the compositions of Dscams present on the opposing cell surfaces. Dscam abundantly exists in the developing nervous system and governs arborization and proper elaboration of neurites. Notably, individual neurons may stochastically and dynamically express a small subset of Dscam isoforms such that any given neurite can be endowed with a unique repertoire of Dscams. This allows individual neurites to recognize their sister branches. Self-recognition leads to self-repulsion, ensuring divergent migration of sister processes. By contrast, weak homophilic Dscam interactions may promote fasciculation of neurites that express analogous, but not identical, Dscams. Differential Dscam binding may provide graded cell recognition that in turn governs complex neuronal morphogenesis.Source
Adv Exp Med Biol. 2012;739:262-75. Link to article on publisher's siteDOI
10.1007/978-1-4614-1704-0_17Permanent Link to this Item
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14038/37858PubMed ID
22399408Notes
Co-author Lei Shi is a student in the Neuroscience program in the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS) at UMass Medical School.
Related Resources
Link to Article in PubMedae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.1007/978-1-4614-1704-0_17