Brown University neuroscientists found that growing axons can be directed by genetic switches in the neuron’s cell body, rather than relying only on signals at the tip of the axon. The team published a genetic atlas describing how neurons turn groups of genes on and off as their connections develop.
The research may help scientists understand how to repair broken neural connections after conditions such as stroke or spinal cord injury. It is still foundational biology, but the finding offers a clearer picture of how the nervous system builds precise pathways in the first place.