Final Report Summary - POLARIZEDTRANSPORT (Sorting out Polarized Transport in Neurons: Motor Protein Selectivity and Cooperativity)
Neurons are amongst the most complex cells in the human body. These cells have a fascinating morphology that enables their role in signal processing in the brain. A number of tree-shaped extensions, called dendrites, receive signals from many other cells, while a single very long axon mediates output connections. To build such a complex cell, many building blocks need to be distributed to either the axon or the dendrites. This intracellular transport is driven by molecular motor proteins that can move over protein fibers, called microtubules. How different motor proteins navigate the microtubule network to deliver cargoes either to axons or dendrites has remained a central unresolved question. In this project, new techniques have been developed to better resolve the organization of the neuronal microtubule network and to explore and control the activity of different motors inside neurons. This has provides surprising and important new insights into the road map and traffic rules that control neuronal architecture and logistics.