Comparative gene expression profiling reveals the mechanisms of axon regeneration

Axons are vulnerable to injury, potentially leading to degeneration or neuronal death. While neurons in the central nervous system fail to regenerate, neurons in the peripheral nervous system are known to regenerate. Since it has been shown that injury-response signal transduction is mediated by gene expression changes, expression profiling is a useful tool to understand the molecular mechanisms of regeneration. Axon regeneration is regulated by injury-responsive genes induced in both neurons and their surrounding non-neuronal cells. Thus, an experimental setup for the comparative analysis between regenerative and nonregenerative conditions is essential to identify ideal targets for the promotion of regeneration-associated genes and to understand the mechanisms of axon regeneration. Here, we review the original research that shows the key factors regulating axon regeneration, in particular by using comparative gene expression profiling in diverse systems.

Automated summary

Axons are susceptible to injury, potentially resulting in degeneration or neuronal death. While neurons in the central nervous system cannot regenerate, those in the peripheral nervous system can. Gene expression changes mediate injury-response signal transduction, highlighting the importance of expression profiling in understanding molecular mechanisms of regeneration. Injury-responsive genes play a key role in regulating axon regeneration, emphasizing the need for comparative analysis between regenerative and nonregenerative conditions to identify optimal targets for promoting regeneration-associated genes. Original research using comparative gene expression profiling in various systems has provided insight into the key factors controlling axon regeneration.