Antagonistic roles of tau and MAP6 in regulating neuronal development

• DOI: 10.1242/jcs.261966
• Publication Date: 2024-09-11T08:12:00Z
• Authors: Xiaohuan Sun; Wenqian Yu; Peter W. Baas; Kazuhito Toyooka; Liang Qiang
• Keywords: Growth cone; Premovement neuronal activity; Microtubule-associated protein; Tau protein; Neuronal migration

Association of tau with microtubules causes them to be labile while association MAP6 stable. As axons differentiate and grow, segregate from one another on individual microtubules, resulting in the formation stable domains. The functional significance yin/yang relationship between remains speculative, idea being that such a assists balancing morphological stability plasticity. Here, using primary rodent neuronal cultures, we show depletion has opposite effects compared rate development, efficiency growth cone turning, number processes axonal branches. Opposite those were also observed migration, an vivo assay, when was depleted. When together depleted phenotypes negated another. Although are multifunctional proteins, our results suggest development likely due their roles regulating microtubule stability.