Home Science Like mountaineers, nerves need expert guidance to find their way

Like mountaineers, nerves need expert guidance to find their way

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Similar to the dozens of Sherpas that guide hikers up treacherous Himalayan mountains to reach a summit, the nervous system relies on elaborate timing and location of guidance cues for neuronal axons — threadlike projections — to successfully reach their destinations in the body. Now, researchers discover how neurons navigate a tricky cellular environment by listening for directions, while simultaneously filtering out inappropriate instructions to avoid getting lost.