Uncovering Neural Tunnels in Developing Brains.
Scientists from the Institut Pasteur and the CNRS, in collaboration with Harvard University, have discovered a novel type of connection between neural precursor cells via nanotubes, even before the formation of synapses, the conventional junctions between neurons. These nanoscopic tunnels connect precursor cells in the cerebellum as they mature into neurons, enabling the exchange of molecules that help pre-neuronal cells physically migrate across various layers and reach their final destination as the brain develops. The researchers used a three-dimensional (3D) electron microscopy method and brain cells from mouse models to study how the brain regions communicate between each other.