![\"neurotrophin1\"](\"http:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/psquared\/files\/2009\/04\/neurotrophin1.jpg\")
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"My current protein of interest:<\/p>\n
“Neurotrophins<\/p>\n
August 2005 Molecule of the Month
\nby David S. Goodsell
\n Previous Features<\/p>\n
Your brain is composed of 85 billion interconnected neurons. Individually, each neuron receives signals from its many neighbors, and based on these signals, decides whether to dispatch its own signal to other nerve cells. Together, the combined action of all of these neurons allows us to sense the surrounding world, think about what we see, and make appropriate actions.<\/p>\n
Remarkably, this complicated structure is formed in nine short months as an embryo grows into a baby. Nerve cells start as typical, compact cells, but then they send out long axons and dendrites, connecting to other cells in the brain or even to entirely different parts of the body. Neurons in the growing brain test the connections with their neighbors, looking for the proper wiring. Half of the neurons are discarded during this process, in areas that get too crowded. The half that remain become the nervous system. Throughout the rest of life, these neurons typically do not reproduce, although they do send out more dendrites to neighboring cells as the nervous system grows or repairs damaged areas.” <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
My current protein of interest: “Neurotrophins August 2005 Molecule of the Month by David S. Goodsell Previous Features Your brain is composed of 85 billion interconnected neurons. Individually, each neuron receives signals from its many neighbors, and based on these … Continue reading