Evolutionarily conserved and divergent functions for cell adhesion molecules in neural circuit assembly

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Abstract

The developing nervous system generates remarkably precise synaptic connections between neurons and their postsynaptic target cells. Numerous neural cell adhesion proteins have been identified to mediate cell recognition between synaptic partners in several model organisms. Here, I review the role of protein interactions of cell adhesion molecules in neural circuit assembly and address how these interactions are utilized to form different neural circuitries in different species. The emerging evidence suggests that the extracellular trans-interactions of cell adhesion proteins for neural wiring are evolutionarily conserved across taxa, but they are often used in different steps of circuit assembly. I also highlight how these conserved protein interactions work together as a group to specify neural connectivity.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2061-2068
Number of pages8
JournalJournal of Comparative Neurology
Volume527
Issue number12
DOIs
StatePublished - 15 Aug 2019

Keywords

  • combinatorial code
  • conserved protein interaction
  • extracellular interaction
  • neural cell adhesion protein
  • neural circuit
  • synaptic connectivity

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