Hence, http://www.selleckchem.com/products/Abiraterone.html providing a molecular framework to understand how neurons form proper synapses remains an important endeavor. The Drosophila visual system is an excellent model to untangle this type of question because of its stereotyped structure,

well documented cellular behavior, accessibility to genetic manipulation, and because the homologs of numerous fly proteins play similar roles in vertebrates ( Kunes and Steller, 1993, Meinertzhagen and Hanson, 1993 and Sanes and Zipursky, 2010). The adult Drosophila compound eye contains ∼800 small units called ommatidia, each of which comprises eight photoreceptor (PR) cells, R1–R8. R1–R6 cells are outer PR cells, that synapse in the first optic ganglion, the lamina, to form a primary visual map. In the lamina, terminals of PR cells and postsynaptic neurons form repeated modules called cartridges. Each cartridge contains six PR terminals that originate from six different ommatidia. Hence, each cartridge receives input from a single point in space. Improper organization of the cartridges often leads to visual map disruption and abnormal optomotor behavior ( Clandinin and Zipursky, 2000). The inner GDC-0941 in vitro PR cells, R7 and R8, project their axons through

the lamina and stop in two distinct layers, M6 and M3, in the medulla where they make precise synaptic connections with the postsynaptic cells ( Kunes and Steller, 1993, Meinertzhagen and Hanson, 1993, Sanes and Zipursky, 2010, Ting and Lee, 2007 and Tomasi et al., 2008). The formation of specific synaptic connections between R cells and postsynaptic cells relies upon a complex bidirectional interaction between R cells and their targets. To date, many molecules have been identified that play pivotal roles in this targeting process ( Giagtzoglou et al., 2009), including cell adhesion molecules ( Lee et al., 2001, Lee et al., 2003 and Senti et al., 2003), signaling molecules ( Bazigou et al., 2007, Clandinin et al., 2001, Garrity et al., 1999, Hofmeyer et al., 2006, Newsome et al., 2000 and Ruan et al., 1999), transcriptional factors ( Morey et al., 2008, Petrovic

and Hummel, 2008, Rao et al., 2000 and Senti et al., 2000), and molecules that affect protein trafficking ( Mehta et al., 2005). N-Cadherin (CadN) Adenylyl cyclase is a Ca2+ dependent cell adhesion molecule (Shapiro et al., 2007) that plays an important role in synapse formation in the developing nervous system (Clandinin et al., 2001, Lee et al., 2001, Nern et al., 2005, Prakash et al., 2005 and Ting et al., 2005). In Drosophila eyes, loss of CadN leads to targeting defects of the photoreceptors in lamina and medulla: R1–R6 growth cones fail to extend from the ommatidial bundle and are not able to select appropriate synaptic partners ( Prakash et al., 2005); moreover, R7 cells often terminate in an improper medulla layer.