Signaling mechanisms that coordinate the development and maintenance of dendritic fields

The establishment of a dendritic tree is a highly dynamic process characterized by extension and retraction of branches, followed by stabilization of existing dendrites and synaptic connections. To properly cover the receptive fields, all of these processes are tightly coordinated at all time points. Recent in vivo studies suggest that several signaling pathways, including Hippo pathway and epigenetic mechanisms, play important roles in maintenance of matured dendrites. This review focuses on the current molecular understanding of how established dendritic fields in functional neuronal circuits are maintained in the brain. The relevance of this knowledge to the pathological mechanisms underlying some neurodegenerative disorders is also discussed.

► To properly cover the receptive fields, dendrite development and maintenance are tightly coordinated. ► The maintenance of the established dendritic fields is controlled by concerted action of calcium signaling, Hippo signaling, epigenetic factors, and extrinsic factors. ► Enzymatic or genetic manipulations of the ECM environments might be able to activate dendrite plasticity in the adult brain. ► The pathological relevance of dendrite regeneration in mental disorder disease awaits further investigation.