Connecting the eye to the brain: the molecular basis of ganglion cell axon guidance
- Departments of Ophthalmology and Physiology, Medical Scientist Training Program, Biomedical Sciences Program, Neuroscience Program, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Correspondence to: David W Sretavan, MD, PhD, Department of Ophthalmology, K107, Box 0730, University of California San Francisco, 10 Kirkham Street, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; dws{at}itsa.ucsf.edu
- Accepted 14 July 2002
Abstract
In the past several years, a great deal has been learnt about the molecular basis through which specific neural pathways in the visual system are established during embryonic development. This review provides a framework for understanding the principles of retinal ganglion cell axon guidance, and introduces some of the families of axon guidance molecules involved. In addition, the potential relevance of retinal axon guidance to human visual developmental disorders, and to retinal axon regeneration, is discussed.
