Morphogenetic processes during brain development and postdevelopmental remodeling of neural architecture depend on the exquisite interplay between the microtubule- and actin-based cytoskeletal systems. Accumulation of evidence indicates cooperative roles of another cytoskeletal system composed of the septin family. Here we overview experimental findings on mammalian septins and their hypothetical roles in the proliferation of neural progenitor cells, neurite development, synapse formation and regulations. The diverse, mostly unexpected phenotypes obtained from gain- and loss-of-function mutants point to unknown molecular network to be elucidated, which may underlie pathogenetic processes of infectious diseases and neuropsychiatric disorders in humans.

大脑发育过程中的形态发生过程和神经结构的发育后重塑取决于基于微管和基于肌动蛋白的细胞骨架系统之间的微妙相互作用。证据的积累表明由 septin 家族组成的另一个细胞骨架系统的协同作用。在这里，我们概述了哺乳动物 septins 的实验结果及其在神经祖细胞增殖、神经突发育、突触形成和调节中的假设作用。从功能获得和功能丧失突变体中获得的多种多样的、大多是出乎意料的表型指向需要阐明的未知分子网络，这可能是人类传染病和神经精神疾病的发病机制的基础。