Gαi2 promotes microtubule-driven incorporation of neurofilaments to stabilise nascent axons in vivo.

Gαi2 promotes microtubule-driven neurofilament incorporation to stabilize nascent axons in the developing chick spinal cord.

• Why it matters: Understanding how stable axon initiation is regulated is crucial for insights into neuronal development, yet the mechanisms remain poorly understood.
• What they did: Using super-resolution and live-tissue imaging, the study examined the role of Gαi2 in the chick spinal cord, focusing on neurofilament and microtubule interactions during axon initiation.
• The result: Gαi2 depletion reduces engagement between neurofilaments and microtubules, impairing neurofilament passage into initiating axons and disrupting axon outgrowth, highlighting its regulatory role in cytoskeletal integration.