Amputated Neuron

[ConstantC4]

well that reminded my of some shock gif I saw I can't get out of my mind... thanks a lot I hate that stuff.

[kilang7]

***My comments will make more sense if you read from the bottom up. They were too long it fit in 1 response and I didn't realize they would show up newest to oldest. Sorry about that.

[kilang7]

The fact that the growth cone can keep moving after it is disconnected from the cell body shows that the growth cone is capable of local protein synthesis. That is, the growth cone is able to produce new cytoskeletal proteins itself - it doesn't rely on proteins to be shipped from the cell body.

I hope this is helpful - looking up "isolated growth cone" or "local protein synthesis" or "growth cone movement" should help you find more info.

[kilang7]

In this video, a very fine glass pipette was used to mechanically severe the growth cone from the rest of the axon and cell body. As you can see here, it keeps moving for 30 mins.

A growth cone's shape and position changes due to changes in the cytoskeleton (the dynamic internal structure that gives a cell its shape). These changes in the cytoskeleton occur when the ratio of free protein subunits changes (which happens when new ones are made).

[kilang7]

A clump of cells was grown in a dish, where the cells extended axons into the surrounding environment (seen in the video called "RGC growth cones extending from cultured eyebud"). The axons are guided by the growth cones at the tips. Growth cones are dynamic sensory structures that help the axon respond to cues in the environment. In an organism, these growth cones and cues would help guide the growing neuron to connect with its target.

[foden123]

I found this very interesting but would have liked a few links to find out exactly what I was watching,not being a boffin myself.