The growth and migration of neurons in the brain are the focus of a recent study. As nerve cells form, they wire the brain to allow communication with other nerve cells. The axon, one of the wires that form when nerve cells are created and the basis for neuronal networks, becomes long. Meanwhile, nerve cells migrate to a specific area in the brain called the cortex. Surprisingly, these processes are controlled separately, as the axon continues to grow to connect with target cells even after the nerve cell has reached its final position. According to Dr. Stanislav Vinopal and Dr. Sebastian Dupraz of the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), the centrosome – an organelle that drives cell division – regulates the nerve cell migration. However, the centrosome does not play a role in the formation and growth of the axon. The study is published in the prestigious journal Neuron.
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