Review relevant to Dscam proteins and Down's syndrome

Montesinos ML. Roles for DSCAM and DSCAML1 in central nervous system development and disease. Adv Neurobiol. 2014;8:249-70. PMID: 25300140.

From the abstract: "... In Drosophila, Dscam proteins are involved in neuronal wiring, while in vertebrates, the role of these cell adhesion molecules in neurogenesis, dendritogenesis, axonal outgrowth, synaptogenesis, and synaptic plasticity is only just beginning to be understood. In this chapter, we will review the functions ascribed to the two paralogous proteins found in humans, DSCAM and DSCAML1 (DSCAM-like 1), based on findings in knockout mice. The signaling pathways downstream of DSCAM activation and the role of DSCAM miss-expression in disease will be also discussed, particularly with regard to the intellectual disability in Down's syndrome."