Molecular mechanisms of neurite extension

The extension of neurites is a major task of developing neurons, requiring a significant metabolic effort to sustain the increase in molecular synthes is necessary for plasma membrane expansion. In addition, neurite extension involves changes in the subsets of expressed proteins and reorganization of the cytomatrix. These phenomena are driven by environmental cues which act ivate signal transduction processes as well as by the intrinsic genetic pro gram of the cell. The present review summarizes some of the most recent pro gress made in the elucidation of the molecular mechanisms underlying these processes.