Pioneer neurons establish the initial nervous system structure by extending axons toward distant targets, but their molecular distinction from follower neurons was previo [...]

Pioneer neurons are the first to extend their axons into a target tissue during nervous system development. Pioneer axon tracts act as a scaffold for subsequent extension [...]

Axons can represent the majority of a neuron's volume and are energetically demanding. Specialized glia ensheathe axons to insulate them and are believed to support axon [...]

The brain is a dense network of precisely interconnected cells called neurons. Our thoughts and behaviors require communication between billions of individual neurons tha [...]

How injury or neurodegenerative disease alter neural circuit function remains unclear. In this thesis, I explored how axotomy affects severed axons and adjacent uninjured [...]

During development, specific combinations of molecular cues guide the proper formation of neural circuits. Neuronal migration, axon guidance, and synapse [...]

The mechanisms that regulate gene expression are complex, however many features have been well-conserved through evolution. This dissertation discusses three main topic [...]