Location of the axon initial segment assembly can be predicted from neuronal shape

Abstract

The axon initial segment (AIS) is located at the proximal axon demarcating the boundary between axonal and somatodendritic compartments. The AIS facilitates the generation of action potentials and maintenance of neuronal polarity. In this study, we show that the location of AIS assembly, as marked by Ankyrin G, corresponds to the nodal plane of the lowest-order harmonic of the Laplace-Beltrami operator solved over the neuronal shape. This correlation establishes a coupling between location of AIS assembly and neuronal cell morphology. We validate this correlation for neurons with atypical morphology and neurons containing multiple AnkG clusters on distinct neurites, where the nodal plane selects the appropriate axon showing enriched Tau. Based on our findings, we propose that Turing patterning systems are candidates for dynamically governing AIS location. Overall, this study highlights the importance of neuronal cell morphology in determining the precise localization of the AIS within the proximal axon.