Mechanisms of Neuronal Wiring: Expanding the Signaling Repertoire for Axon Pathfinding

Dario Bonanomi
Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milano - Italy

2.00 p.m. - Aula B102
Via Sommarive, 9 - Povo, Trento

Our laboratory is primarily interested in how nerve connections are established during development and how they are maintained throughout life. We study the signaling mechanisms responsible for guiding nerve projections to their targets using a combination of mouse genetics and biochemical approaches. Through a mouse mutagenesis screen we have identified novel alleles that affect the development of spinal motor neurons, the cells that control movements and are lost in ALS and other degenerative disorders. The seminar will illustrate our recent findings on cell-intrinsic molecular switches that regulate the spatiotemporal pattern of axon guidance responses and will expand on the role of heterotypic cell-cell interactions during nerve pathfinding. Specifically, we are addressing whether early encounters between growing axons and vascular endothelial cells influence neuronal connectivity.