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Science 3 May 2002:
Vol. 296. no. 5569, pp. 868 - 871
DOI: 10.1126/science.1068613
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Review

Axonal Self-Destruction and Neurodegeneration

Martin C. Raff,* Alan V. Whitmore, John T. Finndagger

Neurons seem to have at least two self-destruct programs. Like other cell types, they have an intracellular death program for undergoing apoptosis when they are injured, infected, or not needed. In addition, they apparently have a second, molecularly distinct self-destruct program in their axon. This program is activated when the axon is severed and leads to the rapid degeneration of the isolated part of the cut axon. Do neurons also use this second program to prune their axonal tree during development and to conserve resources in response to chronic insults?

MRC Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology and Cell Biology Unit and the Biology Department, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK.
*   To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: m.raff{at}ucl.ac.uk

dagger    Present address: Systems Research Department, Sandia National Laboratories, Post Office Box 969, Mail Stop 9201, Livermore, CA 94551, USA.

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