PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Mike Fainzilber
AU  - Vivian Budnik
AU  - Rosalind A. Segal
AU  - Michael R. Kreutz
TI  - From Synapse to Nucleus and Back Again—Communication over Distance within Neurons
AID  - 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4006-11.2011
DP  - 2011 Nov 09
TA  - The Journal of Neuroscience
PG  - 16045--16048
VI  - 31
IP  - 45
4099  - http://www.jneurosci.org/content/31/45/16045.short
4100  - http://www.jneurosci.org/content/31/45/16045.full
SO  - J. Neurosci.2011 Nov 09; 31
AB  - How do neurons integrate intracellular communication from synapse to nucleus and back? Here we briefly summarize aspects of this topic covered by a symposium at Neuroscience 2011. A rich repertoire of signaling mechanisms link both dendritic terminals and axon tips with neuronal soma and nucleus, using motor-dependent transport machineries to traverse the long intracellular distances along neuronal processes. Activation mechanisms at terminals include localized translation of dendritic or axonal RNA, proteolytic cleavage of receptors or second messengers, and differential phosphorylation of signaling moieties. Signaling complexes may be transported in endosomes, or as non-endosomal complexes associated with importins and dynein. Anterograde transport of RNA granules from the soma to neuronal processes, coupled with retrograde transport of proteins translated locally at terminals or within processes, may fuel ongoing bidirectional communication between soma and synapse to modulate synaptic plasticity as well as neuronal growth and survival decisions.