Neuronal migration during development and the amyloid precursor protein

The Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) is the source of amyloid peptides that accumulate in Alzheimer's disease. However, members of the APP family are strongly expressed in the developing nervous systems of invertebrates and vertebrates, where they regulate neuronal guidance, synaptic remodeling, and injury responses. In contrast to mammals, insects express only one APP ortholog (APPL), simplifying investigations into its normal functions. Recent studies have shown that APPL regulates neuronal migration in the developing insect nervous system, analogous to the roles ascribed to APP family proteins in the mammalian cortex. The comparative simplicity of insect systems offers new opportunities for deciphering the signaling mechanisms by which this enigmatic class of proteins contributes to the formation and function of the nervous system.