Advances in Understanding the Molecular Mechanisms of Neuronal Polarity

The establishment and maintenance of neuronal polarity are important for neural development and function. Abnormal neuronal polarity establishment commonly leads to a variety of neurodevelopmental disorders. Over the past three decades, with the continuous development and improvement of biological research methods and techniques, we have made tremendous progress in the understanding of the molecular mechanisms of neuronal polarity establishment. The activity of positive and negative feedback signals and actin waves are both essential in this process. They drive the directional transport and aggregation of key molecules of neuronal polarity, promote the spatiotemporal regulation of ordered and coordinated interactions of actin filaments and microtubules, stimulate the specialization and growth of axons, and inhibit the formation of multiple axons. In this review, we focus on recent advances in these areas, in particular the important findings about neuronal polarity in two classical models, in vitro primary hippocampal/cortical neurons and in vivo cortical pyramidal neurons, and discuss our current understanding of neuronal polarity.

Automated summary

The establishment and maintenance of neuronal polarity are crucial for neural development and function, and abnormal polarity can lead to neurodevelopmental disorders. Recent studies have made significant progress in understanding the molecular mechanisms of neuronal polarity through positive and negative feedback signals and actin waves. These mechanisms drive the transport and aggregation of key molecules, regulate the interactions of actin filaments and microtubules, promote axon specialization and growth, and inhibit the formation of multiple axons. This review focuses on recent findings regarding neuronal polarity in two classical models, primary hippocampal/cortical neurons in vitro and cortical pyramidal neurons in vivo, and discusses the current understanding of neuronal polarity.