The Phosphoinositide signal transduction Pathway and the development of human nervous system

The development of nervous system is tightly regulated by a network of interconnected signal transduction pathways. The extensive crosstalk among different signal transduction systems deserves great attention. In fact, understanding the timing of the cascade of events regulating the development of the nervous system might open the way to novel therapeutic strategies. In the last 20 years, great interest was paid to the Phosphoinositide (PI) signal transduction pathway and related Phosphoinositide-specific phospholipids C (PI-PLC) family of converting enzymes, which contribute to the regulation of intracellular calcium levels. Beside their well-known role in the metabolism of calcium, PI-PLC enzymes interact with a number of molecules belonging to other signal transduction pathways, contributing to the peculiar and complex network in the developing nervous system. In the present communication, the connection of PI signalling and further transduction pathways acting during neural development will be analyzed, with special regard to the role of PI-PLC family of enzymes.