The Axon Initial Segment in Nervous System Disease and Injury

Overview

Journal Eur J Neurosci

Specialty Neurology

Date 2011 Nov 23

PMID 22103418

Citations 59

Authors

Shelly A Buffington

Matthew N Rasband

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The axon initial segment (AIS), with its dense clusters of voltage-gated ion channels decorating the axonal membrane, regulates action potential initiation and modulation. The AIS also functions as a barrier to maintain axodendritic polarity, and its precise axonal location contributes to the fine-tuning of neuronal excitability. Therefore, it is not surprising that mutations in AIS-related genes, disruption of the molecular organization of the AIS and altered AIS ion channel expression, function, location and/or density are emerging as key players in neurological disorders. Here, we consider the role of the AIS in nervous system disease and injury.

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