Rejection of inappropriate synaptic partners in mouse retina mediated by transcellular FLRT2-UNC5 signaling.

ABSTRACT: During nervous system development, neurons choose synaptic partners with remarkable specificity; however, the cell-cell recognition mechanisms governing rejection of inappropriate partners remain enigmatic. Here, we show that mouse retinal neurons avoid inappropriate partners by using the FLRT2-uncoordinated-5 (UNC5) receptor-ligand system. Within the inner plexiform layer (IPL), FLRT2 is expressed by direction-selective (DS) circuit neurons, whereas UNC5C/D are expressed by non-DS neurons projecting to adjacent IPL sublayers. In vivo gain- and loss-of-function experiments demonstrate that FLRT2-UNC5 binding eliminates growing DS dendrites that have strayed from the DS circuit IPL sublayers. Abrogation of FLRT2-UNC5 binding allows mistargeted arbors to persist, elaborate, and acquire synap

SUBMITTER: Prigge CL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10615732 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature