During development, neurons are guided by multiple guidance molecules and their receptors, but how developing neurons integrate these different guidance cues to form neural circuits is unclear. Alex Kolodkin's team has been examining the roles of plexins – receptors for the semaphorin guidance cues–in the developing Drosophila nervous system. On p. 2125, these researchers report important new insights into how the multiple components of the semaphorin system interact by showing that the two fly plexins (PlexA and PlexB) have both distinct and overlapping functions in central and peripheral axon pathfinding. Their observation that PlexA and PlexB physically associate in vivo and can use common downstream signalling pathways provides an explanation for their overlapping functions. The researchers' discovery that PlexB is a receptor for the secreted semaphorin Sema-2a–PlexA is a receptor for the transmembrane semaphorin Sema-1a–suggests that the distinct roles of the two plexins in axon pathfinding could be mediated by interactions with different semaphorins. Together, these results reveal how complex neuronal guidance is determined at different molecular levels.
Axon guidance gets per-Plexin
Axon guidance gets per-Plexin. Development 1 June 2006; 133 (11): e1101. doi:
Download citation file:
Advertisement
Cited by
Pathway to Independence programme

We’re excited to announce our new Pathway to Independence programme, aimed at supporting postdocs as they go on the job market. Find out more about the scheme in our Editorial.
Call for papers: Metabolic and Nutritional Control of Development and Regeneration

We are welcoming submissions for our next special issue, which will focus on metabolic and nutritional control of development and regeneration. Submission deadline: 15 May 2023.
Webinar: Increasing the visibility and impact of your research
-HUBSwebinar.jpg?versionId=4486)
Would you like to increase the visibility and impact of your research and raise your profile internationally? If so, register for the very practical webinar we are running in association with HUBS on 23 February 2023.
Transitions in development: Daniel Grimes

Daniel Grimes’s lab studies the consequences of ciliary mutations, including left-right patterning defects and scoliosis. We interviewed Daniel to find out more about his career path, his experience of becoming a group leader and the influence of Jurassic Park.
Preprints in Development
(update)-InPreprints.png?versionId=4486)
As part of our efforts to support the use of preprints and help curate the preprint literature, we are delighted to launch a new article type: ‘In preprints’. These pieces will discuss one or more recent preprints and place them in a broader context.