Axon Guidance: Attractive Cues

[Proteus]

If there are billions of neurons that might be the one the axon needs to connect to, does this mean that there are billions of different signal cues? And if so, how is this diversity achieved?

 

How about negative signal cues? Where do those come from?

[greenprogrammin]

I would think of the brain and neural plasticity more in terms of a binary storage system with an integrated processor.

 

I don't think you would have millions of signal cues. Consider Developmental biology. There is what are known as homeotic and homeobox genes that contain a general guidline for differentiation.

[foodchain]

If there are billions of neurons that might be the one the axon needs to connect to, does this mean that there are billions of different signal cues? And if so, how is this diversity achieved?

 

How about negative signal cues? Where do those come from?

 

I know brain cells can reduce or inhibit other cell activity. There is also a model put forward with some evidence that individual brain cells actively engage with each other for resources, as such cells that perform better for some kind of stimulus gets more food.

 

I often wonder if this individual war if indeed true has any kind of impact on personality to some extent, like of some cells that were good at both art and math, would they by brain structure have a higher chance of success in some environments, or would they suffer because of such. I think individual plasticity could register, or even become evident in studying difference among cultures on some math chart. Heck maybe that behavior could explain why animals or some can be domesticated.