The DCC receptor and its endosome associated role for regulating local protein synthesis

Abstract

During embryonic development neurons grow out axons towards their target cells before connecting with them through synaptogenesis. To ensure correct neuronal wiring, growth cones at the axon tips are guided by mechanical and chemical guidance cues along that route. To rapidly react to extracellular stimuli during their outgrowth as well as to maintain synaptic contacts in mature neurons, local protein synthesis (LPS) distant from the cell soma is crucial for neuronal networks. In addition to the long known signaling pathways based on post-translational modifications of downstream targets and subsequent transcriptional activation, an alternative mechanism linking extracellular stimuli and mRNA translation has recently been discovered in neurons.