Molecular Neuroscience Unit (Marco Terenzio)

Neurons are extremely polarized cells with axons that can extend up to one meter in length, as it is the case for motor and sensory neurons in humans. Hence the need to tightly regulate the flux of information from the periphery to the center. Indeed, spatial or temporal misregulation of signals can have dire consequences in neurons, where axonal transport defects of a variety of peripheral signaling complexes, including endosomes, mitochondria and mRNP granules, have been shown to result in neuronal degeneration and neuronal defects. Axonal protein synthesis has also been connected to the transmission of both regenerative signals after injury and neurodegenerative signals. Our lab focuses on the understanding of the mechanisms underlying the correct localization of signaling complexes by molecular transport and/or local protein synthesis and how this affects neuronal homeostasis, regeneration and degeneration.