Neurons Extend Axons 1

Neurons Extend Axons 1

Russell McConnell

MIT Department of Biology, Koch Institute at MIT

This is an image of the neurons that connect our brain with the sensors located all over our body that detect sensations of touch, pain, heat, and body position. If these connections are broken, such as by spinal cord injuries, we lose the ability to perceive the sensations that these neurons are trying to convey.

We are seeking to understand at a molecular level how neurons are able to correctly navigate long distances to form the required neuronal connections that form a functional nervous system. This is an image of neurons during development that are in the process of extending axons out towards their correct targets.

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