The physiological role of the amyloid precursor protein as an adhesion molecule in the developing nervous system

QUIROGA, SANTIAGO

JOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Año: 2017 vol. 143 p. 11 - 11

0022-3042

he amyloid precursor protein (APP) is a type I transmembraneglycoprotein better known for its participation in thephysiopathology of Alzheimer disease as the source of thebeta amyloid fragment. However, the physiological functionsof the full length protein and its proteolytic fragments haveremained elusive. APP was first described as a cell-surfacereceptor; nevertheless, increasing evidence highlighted APPas a cell adhesion molecule. In this review, we will focus on thecurrent knowledge of the physiological role of APP as a celladhesion molecule and its involvement in key events ofneuronal development, such as migration, neurite outgrowth,growth cone pathfinding, and synaptogenesis. Finally, sinceAPP is over-expressed in Down syndrome individualsbecause of the extra copy of chromosome 21, in the lastsection of the review, we discuss the potential contribution ofAPP to the neuronal and synaptic defects described in thisgenetic condition.