Axon Guidance
Axon Guidance - Related Videos
10:30
Use of pHluorin to Assess the Dynamics of Axon Guidance Receptors in Cell Culture and in the Chick Embryo
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Cited by 10 •
2014
We describe here the use of a pH-sensitive green fluorescent protein variant, pHluorin, to study the spatio-temporal dynamics of axon guidance receptors trafficking at the cell surface. The pHluorin-tagged receptor is expressed both in cell culture and in vivo, using electroporation of the chick embryo.
10:14
Automated Robotic Dispensing Technique for Surface Guidance and Bioprinting of Cells
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Cited by 9 •
2016
This protocol describes a bioprinting methodology using an automated robotic depositing system that incorporates etched topographical guidance cues with the precision deposition of a cell bearing hydrogel bioink. The printed cells are directly delivered to the etched features and are able to sense and orientate with them.
03:24
Two-Photon Laser Axotomy: A Method to Injure Axons in Zebrafish Embryos and Observe Axonal Recovery
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2023
This video describes the method to injure axons in zebrafish embryos using two photon laser axotomy and observing axonal recovery from injury.
11:56
Visualization of the Axonal Projection Pattern of Embryonic Motor Neurons in Drosophila
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Cited by 4 •
2017
This work details a standard immunohistochemistry method to visualize motor neuron projections of late stage-16 Drosophila melanogaster embryos. The filleted preparation of fixed embryos stained with FasII antibody provides a powerful tool to characterize the genes required for motor axon pathfinding and target recognition during neural development.
03:21
Real-Time In Vitro Imaging of Axonal Branching in Mouse Cortical Neurons
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2025
Source: Winkle, C. C., et al. Utilizing Combined Methodologies to Define the Role of Plasma Membrane Delivery During Axon Branching and Neuronal Morphogenesis. J. Vis. Exp. (2016)This video demonstrates a live-imaging technique using differential interference contrast (DIC) microscopy to observe real-time axonal branching in cortical neurons. Time-lapse videos capture the effects of netrin-1 treatment, a signaling molecule that induces localized exocytosis and cytoskeletal rearrangements in...
FAQs
The growth cone serves as the axon’s responsive tip. Receptors there detect molecular guidance signals and regulate the behavior of actin and microtubules, the cytoskeletal components that support extension and directional changes. By altering these internal structures in response to local cues, the growth cone can steer the growing fiber toward some signals and away from others.
Attractive cues promote movement toward particular molecular signals, whereas repulsive cues direct the growth cone away from them. Their opposing effects help axons select appropriate routes through developing tissue rather than simply extending in one direction. The balance of these responses contributes to the precise placement of connections needed to establish functional neural circuits.
Contact-mediated cues influence a growth cone when it encounters a signal associated with nearby tissue or another cellular surface. Diffusible cues can act across a distance, allowing the growth cone to respond before direct contact occurs. Together, these cue types provide spatial information that can guide axons through developing tissue using both local interactions and longer-range signals.
Actin and microtubules provide the internal structural systems that respond when growth-cone receptors detect guidance cues. Regulating their dynamics changes how the axon tip extends and turns, linking external molecular information to physical movement. This connection is essential because molecular recognition alone cannot position an axon unless it produces a corresponding change in growth direction.
Studying axon guidance helps researchers understand how developing nervous systems form organized connections between precise target cells. It provides a framework for examining circuit formation and the molecular interactions that shape neural development. These insights also support investigation of neurodevelopmental disorders, where altered guidance may affect how neural circuits are established.
Axon guidance research can inform strategies for neural regeneration and the repair of damaged connections. Understanding how growth cones respond to attractive, repulsive, contact-mediated, and diffusible signals may help researchers consider ways to influence axon extension after injury. The broader goal is to use developmental guidance principles to support restoration of neural connectivity.