cAMP-Dependent Co-stabilization of Axonal Arbors from Adjacent Developing Neurons

Abstract

Summary: Axonal arbors in many neuronal networks are exuberant early during development and become refined by activity-dependent competitive mechanisms. Theoretical work proposed non-competitive interactions between co-active axons to co-stabilize their connections, but the demonstration of such interactions is lacking. Here, we provide experimental evidence that reducing cyclic AMP (cAMP) signaling in a subset of retinal ganglion cells favors the elimination of thalamic projections from neighboring neurons, pointing to a cAMP-dependent interaction that promotes axon stabilization.

Keywords

• competition
• cooperation
• retina
• pruning
• retinal ganglion cells
• spontaneous activity