FGF ligands emerge as potential specifiers of synaptic identity
Kieran Jones and M. Albert Basson
2010 Jul 27
As such, human intelligence, and in fact, any kind of complex behaviour in a multicellular organism, can be though of as an emergent property of the complex interconnectedness of neurons.
Neurological disorders such as schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorders, Tourette's syndrome and epilepsy may have a basis in defective connectivity (reviewed by Mohler, 2006; Rubenstein and Merzenich, 2003; Singer and Minzer, 2003; Wassef et al., 2003).
Thus, elucidating the molecular basis of synapse formation, maintenance and activity are essential to understand the basis of behaviour and neurological disorders.
The FGF family consists of twenty-two members in mammals, with 15 canonical heparin-binding, secreted polypeptides and 7 non-canonical FGFs: 3 being secreted ligands with low affinity for heparan sulfate (FGF15/18, FGF21, 23) and 4 being intracellular FGFs (FGF11-14) (reviewed by Itoh and Ornitz, 2008)
Kieran Jones and M. Albert Basson
2010 Jul 27
Introduction
It has been estimated that approximately 1014-1015 synapses are formed between the 1011 neurons in the human brain.As such, human intelligence, and in fact, any kind of complex behaviour in a multicellular organism, can be though of as an emergent property of the complex interconnectedness of neurons.
Neurological disorders such as schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorders, Tourette's syndrome and epilepsy may have a basis in defective connectivity (reviewed by Mohler, 2006; Rubenstein and Merzenich, 2003; Singer and Minzer, 2003; Wassef et al., 2003).
Thus, elucidating the molecular basis of synapse formation, maintenance and activity are essential to understand the basis of behaviour and neurological disorders.
Fibroblast growth factors as presynaptic organisers in the CNS
Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) are a large family of proteins with diverse roles in embryonic development, homeostasis and metabolism.The FGF family consists of twenty-two members in mammals, with 15 canonical heparin-binding, secreted polypeptides and 7 non-canonical FGFs: 3 being secreted ligands with low affinity for heparan sulfate (FGF15/18, FGF21, 23) and 4 being intracellular FGFs (FGF11-14) (reviewed by Itoh and Ornitz, 2008)
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