Abstract
During development, neurons extend axons along defined routes to specific target cells. We show that additional mechanisms ensure that axons maintain their correct positioning in defined axonal tracts. After termination of axonal outgrowth and target recognition, axons in the ventral nerve cord (VNC) of Caenorhabditis elegans require the presence of a specific VNC neuron, PVT, to maintain their correct positioning in the left and right fascicles of the VNC. PVT may exert its stabilizing function by the temporally tightly controlled secretion of 2-immunoglobulin (Ig)-domain proteins encoded by the zig genes. Dedicated axon maintenance mechanisms may be widely used to ensure the preservation of functional neuronal circuitries.
Publication types
-
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
-
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
MeSH terms
-
Animals
-
Animals, Genetically Modified
-
Axons / physiology*
-
Body Patterning*
-
Caenorhabditis elegans / embryology
-
Caenorhabditis elegans / genetics
-
Caenorhabditis elegans / growth & development*
-
Caenorhabditis elegans / metabolism
-
Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / chemistry
-
Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / genetics
-
Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / physiology*
-
Cues
-
Genes, Helminth
-
Genes, Reporter
-
Immunoglobulins / chemistry
-
Interneurons / metabolism
-
Interneurons / physiology*
-
Larva / genetics
-
Larva / metabolism
-
Movement
-
Mutation
-
Nervous System / cytology
-
Nervous System / growth & development
-
Neural Pathways / growth & development
-
Phenotype
-
Protein Structure, Tertiary
-
Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism
Substances
-
Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins
-
Immunoglobulins
-
Recombinant Fusion Proteins