Distinct Microtubule Organizing Center Mechanisms Combine to Generate Neuron Polarity and Arbor Complexity

Oliver R Wilkes; Adrian W Moore

doi:10.3389/fncel.2020.594199

Distinct Microtubule Organizing Center Mechanisms Combine to Generate Neuron Polarity and Arbor Complexity

Front Cell Neurosci. 2020 Nov 19:14:594199. doi: 10.3389/fncel.2020.594199. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Oliver R Wilkes^{1

2}, Adrian W Moore¹

Affiliations

¹ Laboratory for Neurodiversity, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako-shi, Japan.
² Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Institute for Translational Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom.

Abstract

Dendrite and axon arbor wiring patterns determine the connectivity and computational characteristics of a neuron. The identities of these dendrite and axon arbors are created by differential polarization of their microtubule arrays, and their complexity and pattern are generated by the extension and organization of these arrays. We describe how several molecularly distinct microtubule organizing center (MTOC) mechanisms function during neuron differentiation to generate and arrange dendrite and axon microtubules. The temporal and spatial organization of these MTOCs generates, patterns, and diversifies arbor wiring.

Keywords: axon; dendrite; microtubule nucleation; microtubule organization; neuron differentiation.

Publication types

Review