Molecular biology of axons: "a turning point...".

Previous studies have shown that dendrites and axons contain both mRNAs and the machinery for local protein translation. While a number of studies in recent years have focused on the functional role of protein synthesis in dendrites, relatively less is know about the role of local translation in axons. Campbell and Holt (this issue of Neuron) show that local protein synthesis and degradation are required for proper chemotropic turning responses of isolated retinal growth cones.