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Nature 436, 632-633 (4 August 2005) | doi:10.1038/436632a; Published online 3 August 2005

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Neurobiology:  Getting axons going

Juergen A. Knoblich1

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Neurons extend one long axon, through which they transmit electrical impulses to other cells in the nervous system. Surprisingly, it seems that where the axon forms is determined entirely within the neuron.

Neurons act as electrical relays: they collect information from other neurons through multiple extensions called dendrites, and transmit this information through one long protrusion, the axon. But the mechanism that determines where the axon forms at the neuronal surface has been unclear — it might be determined by an extracellular cue or by some intrinsic polarity that exists in the neuron even before the axon begins to grow.

  1. Juergen A. Knoblich is at the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology, Dr Bohr Gasse 3–5, Vienna 1030, Austria.
    Email: knoblich@imp.univie.ac.at

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