Polarity Determinants in Dendritic Spine Development and Plasticity

Figure 5

Planar cell polarity proteins in dendritic spines. Planar cell polarity (PCP) proteins play important roles in dendritic spine development. Wnt signals via the Frizzled receptor and Disheveled (Dvl) to regulate spine morphogenesis, possibly through the Rho GTPases. The PCP protein Vangl2 interacts directly with PSD-95 and N-cadherin and regulates N-cadherin endocytosis. Vangl2 also interacts with Scribble, which forms a complex with NOS1AP, GIT1, and PIX to regulate Rac activity in dendritic spines. Dashed arrows represent pathways that have been established in other cell types but have not been directly demonstrated in dendritic spines.