Grant: Project Grant

Neurons have long protrusions called dendrites or axons. Formation of these protrusions occurs during development of the nervous system and are essential for proper neuronal function. Neurons of the central nervous system have a very limited capacity to recover from damage caused by injury and cannot re-grow axons. We discovered a pathway that plays a key role in limiting the growth of axons during embryonic development. Moreover, we observed that treating normal neurons or those subjected to damage with a drug that inhibits the pathway can promote the regrowth of neuronal axons. Here, we propose to undertake studies using both in vitro and in vivo mouse models to better understand the molecular mechanisms for these effects during normal development and upon damage. Results from our work will provide insights on new approaches to promote survival and regeneration of damaged neurons in diverse contexts.