Neural Regeneration Research ›› 2019, Vol. 14 ›› Issue (2): 206-216.doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.244776

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Contactins in the central nervous system: role in health and disease

Madhurima Chatterjee 1 , Detlev Schild 2, 3, 4 , Charlotte E. Teunissen 1   

  1. 1 Amsterdam UMC, VU University Medical Center, Department of Clinical Chemistry, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
    2 Institute of Neurophysiology and Cellular Biophysics, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
    3 DFG Research Center for Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain (CNMPB), University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
    4 DFG Excellence Cluster 171, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
  • Online:2019-02-15 Published:2019-02-15
  • Contact: Charlotte E. Teunissen, PhD, c.teunissen@vumc.nl.
  • Supported by:

    This project was funded by the Center for Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology and the European Neuroscience Campus Network, an Erasmus Mundus Joint Doctoral Program (cycle 5/2014/P-04) (to MC).

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Abstract:

Contactins are a group of cell adhesion molecules that are mainly expressed in the brain and play pivotal roles in the organization of axonal domains, axonal guidance, neuritogenesis, neuronal development, synapse formation and plasticity, axo-glia interactions and neural regeneration. Contactins comprise a family of six members. Their absence leads to malformed axons and impaired nerve conduction. Contactin mediated protein complex formation is critical for the organization of the axon in early central nervous system development. Mutations and differential expression of contactins have been identified in neuro-developmental or neurological disorders. Taken together, contactins are extensively studied in the context of nervous system development. This review summarizes the physiological roles of all six members of the Contactin family in neurodevelopment as well as their involvement in neurological/neurodevelopmental disorders.

Key words: cell adhesion molecule, Contactins, axonal domain, neurogenesis, synaptogenesis, autism spectrum disorder, neuro-developmental disorder, neurological disease