Rho family GTPases that regulate dendrite growth and branching in vertebrate and invertebrate neuronsĪ Rho family GTPase that limits dendrite growth in vertebrate and invertebrate neuronsĪ kinesin involved in dendrite morphogenesis of mammalian hippocampal neurons Regulates dendrite growth of mammalian cortical neurons Regulate dendritic targeting of fly motor neurons

Regulate dendrite growth and targeting of fly neurons Regulate dendritic targeting and branching in mammalian cortical neurons and fly olfactory neurons Promote dendritic complexity of mammalian hippocampal neurons Regulate dendrite morphogenesis in mammalian neurons Promotes dendrite growth in rat sympathetic neurons

Regulate dendritic growth and complexities of mammalian cortical neurons in a neuronal type-dependent manner Neurotrophins and tyrosine kinase receptors Secreted proteins and cell surface receptors melanogaster homologues are involved in dendrite morphogenesis in dendritic arborization neuronsĬomponents of the Polycomb complex that regulate the maintenance of larval dendritic arborization dendrites Neuron-specific chromatin remodelling complexes that bind CREST and regulate activity-dependent dendrite development of mammalian CNS neurons their D. POU-domain proteins that regulate dendritic targeting in the fly olfactory systemĪ transactivator that regulates Ca 2+-dependent dendrite growth of mammalian cortical and hippocampal neuronsĪ basic helix–loop–helix (bHLH) protein that regulates activity-dependent dendrite morphogenesis of mammalian neuronsĪ DNA-binding protein that regulates activity-dependent dendrite morphogenesis of mammalian neuronsĪ bHLH protein that specifies the dendrite morphology of pyramidal neurons in the mammalian neocortex We also consider evidence suggesting that defects in dendrite development and/or maintenance could contribute to neurological and neurodevelopmental disorders such as schizophrenia, Down’s syndrome, fragile X syndrome, Angelman’s syndrome, Rett’s syndrome and autism 2 – 10.Ī homeodomain protein that functions as a multi-level regulator of type-specific dendrite morphology of larval dendritic arborization neuronsĪ BTB–zinc finger protein that is expressed in larval class I dendritic arborization neurons, where it limits dendrite size and branching complexityĪ member of the early B cell factor or olfactory neuronal transcription factor 1 family that functions in combination with CUT to distinguish class IV from class III dendritic arborization neuron dendritesĪ fly homologue of the mammalian dioxin receptor that diversifies dendrite morphology of larval dendritic arborization neurons Here, we review recent progress in uncovering the molecular and cell biological mechanisms controlling dendrite morphogenesis, including the acquisition of type-specific dendritic arborization, the regulation of dendrite size and the organization of dendrites emanating from different neurons ( TABLE 1). For example, the ubiquitin ligase anaphase-promoting complex specifically regulates axon or dendrite morphogenesis in murine cerebellar granule cells depending on whether it recruits the co-activator cadherin 1 or CDC20 to the complex 152, 153. Indeed, molecules that function specifically in dendrite or axon growth have been discovered. Given their many structural and functional differences, axon and dendrite development must differ in crucial ways 151.

It is likely that these different cytoskeletal arrangements influence the manner in which organelles and molecules are transported along axons and dendrites. The orientation of microtubules also differs considerably in dendrites and axons in both vertebrates and invertebrates, the microtubules uniformly orient with their plus-end distally in axons, whereas dendrites contain microtubules of both orientations 149, 150. Furthermore, dendrites and axons contain different types of organelles - such as Golgi outposts, found primarily in dendrites. Unlike axons, dendrites have tapering processes such that distal branches have smaller diameters than proximal ones. Dendrites have specialized structures including spines, which are the main excitatory synaptic sites that are not found in axons. Box 1Differential regulation of dendrite and axon growthĭendrites differ from axons in many important respects, both morphologically and functionally 148.

Dendrite function in motor neuron