“Guidance”

When a neuronal cell develops, it extends a delicate membrane, called a growth cone, to probe its surrounding environment.  The growth cone can sense positive and negative signals, resulting in attraction and repulsion to a certain path.  When a positive signal is present, the growth cone begins to slowly turn in that direction, to find the way towards its target.  It attempts to find a way forward based on its immediate surroundings. While this process is typically studied at the stages of early development, it also plays an important role in recovering from acute traumatic injury.  Just like people, cells need to not only overcome the barriers in their way, but start navigating in the new, uncharted territory they enter.  These survivors need extrinsic factors to guide them towards their new potential targets.  Sometimes you don’t know where to turn.  The question is – will you be guided in the right direction, get lost, or find a new home in a different place?