The sequential activity of the GTPases Rap1B and Cdc42 determines neuronal polarity.

The establishment of a polarized morphology is an essential step in the differentiation of neurons with a single axon and multiple dendrites. In cultured rat hippocampal neurons, one of several initially indistinguishable neurites is selected to become the axon. Both phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate and the evolutionarily conserved Par complex (comprising Par3, Par6 and an atypical PKC (aPKC) such as PKClambda or PKCzeta) are involved in axon specification. However, the initial signals that establish cellular asymmetry and the pathways that subsequently translate it into structural changes remain to be elucidated. Here we show that localization of the GTPase Rap1B to the tip of a single neurite is a decisive step in determining which neurite becomes the axon. Using GTPase mutants and RNA interference, we found that Rap1B is necessary and sufficient to initiate the development of axons upstream of Cdc42 and the Par complex

Single-cell axotomy of cultured hippocampal neurons integrated in neuronal circuits

An understanding of the molecular mechanisms of axon regeneration after injury is key for the development of potential therapies. Single-cell axotomy of dissociated neurons enables the study of the intrinsic regenerative capacities of injured axons. This protocol describes how to perform single-cell axotomy on dissociated hippocampal neurons containing synapses. Furthermore, to axotomize hippocampal neurons integrated in neuronal circuits, we describe how to set up coculture with a few fluorescently labeled neurons. This approach allows axotomy of single cells in a complex neuronal network and the observation of morphological and molecular changes during axon regeneration. Thus, single-cell axotomy of mature neurons is a valuable tool for gaining insights into cell intrinsic axon regeneration and the plasticity of neuronal polarity of mature neurons. Dissociation of the hippocampus and plating of hippocampal neurons takes ∼2 h. Neurons are then left to grow for 2 weeks, during which time they integrate into neuronal circuits. Subsequent axotomy takes 10 min per neuron and further imaging takes 10 min per neuron