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As the brain grows and develops, nerve cells must make connections between one another in order to function properly. Brain cells are tightly packed together, so each cell might touch hundreds or thousands of other cells, and yet those cells only make stable and strong connections with a fraction of those neighboring cells. Researchers have long puzzled over how the probing finger-like neuronal protrusions called filopodia decide on the right place to land and make a stable link. Now researchers at Jefferson (Philadelphia University + Thomas Jefferson University) have shown that a single molecule makes the yes-or-no decision at each touch with a neighboring neuron.
The new research was published in the Cell Press journal Neuron, and could have implications for our understanding of synapse-related diseases such as autism, Down syndrome, addiction or epilepsy.
"We've shown here that one molecule can both repel unproductive contacts and connect where appropriate based on the kinds of signals that pass through that molecule," said senior author on the paper Matthew Dalva, PhD, Professor of Neuroscience at The Vickie & Jack Farber Institute for Neuroscience and Director of the Synaptic Biology Center at Jefferson (Philadelphia University + Thomas Jefferson University). "This molecule is the only molecule we know of that can both repel and connect synapses."
Source: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/05/180503142833.htm
Yu-Ting Mao, Julia X. Zhu, Kenji Hanamura, Giuliano Iurilli, Sandeep Robert Datta, Matthew B. Dalva. Filopodia Conduct Target Selection in Cortical Neurons Using Differences in Signal Kinetics of a Single Kinase. Neuron, 2018; DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2018.04.011
(Score: 2) by FatPhil on Tuesday May 08 2018, @05:34PM (5 children)
So, no, I don't consider Crowley's "Do what thou wilt, that shall be the whole of the law" to be something which defines a religion.
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Tuesday May 08 2018, @08:36PM (4 children)
Publish a scientific paper with a balanced presentation full of well supported objective truths that hurts your employer's bottom line, then tell me there's no implied threat of punishment in the system.
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(Score: 2) by FatPhil on Tuesday May 08 2018, @09:31PM (3 children)
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Tuesday May 08 2018, @10:08PM (2 children)
I'd call it economics - one of the primary corruptors of religion, of all kinds.
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(Score: 2) by FatPhil on Wednesday May 09 2018, @07:32AM (1 child)
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Wednesday May 09 2018, @11:57AM
Really? I feel like we are transcending that state into one where economics has almost wholly subsumed politics. Ouroboros incarnate.
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