Intracellular signal transduction controlling neuronal development and survival is conveyed by second messengers that are often differentially regulated over space and time.The highly polarized morphology of neurons is conferred by a network of regulatory signaling pathways that determine axon guidance and dendrite formation.Among these,cyclic adenosine monophosphate(cAMP)is a second messenger that is critical for numerous neuronal functions and known to activate and integrate a variety of downstream pathways.In the central nervous system(CNS),cAMP-dependent signaling is involved in growth cone motility,neuronal metabolism,axon extension in vitro,neuroprotection,and survival in vivo.The complexity of cAMP-dependent neuronal physiology and function raises fundamental questions about the mechanisms determining the specificity by which cAMP can regulate these processes.
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