Potential Role of Microtubule Stabilizing Agents in Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Microtubules (MTs) hold a fundamental role in regulating all the steps of neurons and therefore brain development.

MTs are basic elements of the cytoskeleton composed of α- and β-tubulin heterodimers. Together with actin microfilaments and intermediate filaments (called neurofilaments in neurons), they constitute the cytoskeleton, the dynamic structure that gives the cell its shape and mechanical resistance to deformation. α- and β-tubulin form linear protofilaments, the basis of MTs polar structure, where β-tubulin monomer is pointing towards the fast growing “plus-end”, and α-tubulin is located at the slower growing “minus-end” [8].

Centrosome, MTs and MTs-related proteins are essential players in all the steps of brain development, from proliferation and migration to differentiation and synaptic network formation.